Androgynous Appearance
The way Leslie is described in the second chapter creates the image of an androgynous person, and of someone who doesn’t conform to gender norms. Jess can’t tell whether Leslie is a girl or a boy; this sense of oddity also extends to her personality. Leslie’s physical attributes mirrors her personality and her way of living.
Domestic Bliss
From the first chapter, we find and important detail about Jess’s father from the way Jess imagines his father. Jess hopes that, by winning the race, he will be able to attract his father’s attention and that his father will finally play with him, something he hasn’t done in the last few years. Through this image, of a father who takes time from his daily activities to take care of his child, the image of Jess as a lonely neglected child is slowly built. Jess is unable to find his place in the family and his desire to be noticed remain unnoticed by his family that is too busy fighting with one another or simply too busy working.
Flat Characters
When the narrator describes Jess and Leslie, they are described as complex characters with a lot of dimensions. When Jess’s classmates are described, however, they appear to be flat and one-dimensional. They have no individual traits, they all behave the same way, and they are all have the same interests. Through this image, the narrator further accentuates the idea that the school where Jess goes is a place where there is no individuality or diversity.
Heroes and Villains
In the fifth chapter, Jess has to deal with a difficult situation: his younger sister is bullied and she goes to him asking for his help. The way in which the bully and Jess are portrayed in this chapter is important because it paints an accurate picture about how those who are oppressed see the person oppressing them and also how a man can transform into a hero when he does a good deed. The bully, a girl from Jess’s school, is described as being a giant, looming over Jess and everyone else. Her height not only intimidates those around her but it also represents the power she has. Jess is a dwarf in comparison with the bully but that doesn’t mean that he is not powerful. Jess listens to Leslie’s advice and he gets revenge on the bully by using his intelligence. After this, Jess is the one who receives epic proportions in his sister’s eyes and becomes a hero, someone she can look up to and be sure that he will protect her no matter what.
