Tyler and the building maintenance crew lust for and fantasize about the wet tennis team members at a car wash. Tyler frequently informs readers of his erections (using terms like penis, trouser snake, hard on, boner and others) and often elaborates on his erotic fantasies about Bethany. He makes allusions to masturbating and to viewing pornography in magazines or on the Internet.
On the first day of school, senior guys prowl for virgin freshmen. Tyler is thankful for art history, a class that allows him to look at breasts.
While going through Tyler’s wallet, Bethany finds a condom.
At a party, a drunk Bethany dirty dances with Tyler before coming on to him in an effort to have sex. After an intense inner battle, Tyler stops making out with her and says he won’t take advantage of her while she’s wasted. She accuses him of being gay because he won’t sleep with her. A nude photograph of Bethany appears on the Internet. Tyler is accused of taking it and posting it online.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS/NOTES
Criminal activity: As the book begins, Tyler is completing a sentence of community service for vandalizing the school. He’d considered bombing it (in the evening, so no one would get hurt), but decided it was too risky so he used spray paint to rage against its authority in his life. The maintenance men he works with, while doing community service, teach him how to steal soda from the vending machine. When Tyler thinks of leaving home, he steals money from his dad’s room.
Lying: Tyler frequently lies to his parents so he can go to parties or keep them from fighting as much. His sister also lies so she can attend a party. Tyler’s dad lies to his boss and co-workers so they will perceive him as competent.
Alcohol and drug use/abuse: Tyler’s mom drinks too much gin and tries to cover up her problem by saying she has migraines. Tyler’s dad usually has only one scotch per night, but drinks three on an evening that’s especially stressful. Several times, Tyler takes four ibuprofen and chugs half a bottle of NyQuil to get to sleep after a trying day. Bethany’s brother’s name is Chip. His breath smells like beer and the Tic Tacs he uses to cover it up. Tyler says his school’s homecoming game always happens on the Friday of Columbus Day weekend to give everyone an extra day to recover from their hangovers. A party Tyler and his sister attend has kegs and smells like beer-vomit and weed.
Prejudice: Mr. Miller’s boss makes a questionable remark about the “illegals” his wife always hires to do their landscaping.
Obsession with death: Tyler says thinking about death relaxes him. His favorite video game is about death. When he’s falsely accused of distributing nude photos of Bethany, he thinks through the many ways he could kill himself. He loads his father’s gun and puts it in his mouth, nearly pulling the trigger.
Modesty: Tyler mentions a day when many of the girls at his school have dressed provocatively, causing the male students to be awash in lust. When the guys express their desires, the girls get angry. Tyler’s 14-year-old sister secretly gets a belly button ring and folds down the top of her mini skirt at school so it will show. Another time, she takes off a parent-approved shirt in the car on the way to school so she can wear a skimpy top.
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