Loser Essay Questions

What role does shame play in Loser?

Shame is one of the central themes in Loser. Throughout Zinkoff's life, he encounters instances in which people try to make him feel ashamed. At school, students laugh when he humiliates himself by tripping and laughing uncontrollably. Teachers also reprimand him for having poor penmanship and for trying to answer questions to which he doesn't know the answers. Zinkoff's neighbor Andrew also tries to shame Zinkoff about his mailman father, bragging about his own father's wealth as a banker. But in these instances of socially induced shame, Zinkoff remains resilient, taking on little to none of the negativity people try to make him absorb. Shame eventually penetrates Zinkoff's lack of self-awareness after Field Day, when he receives the nickname "Loser" for failing to win the one-leg race for his team. That evening, he erupts in anger when his sister asks him if he won. The outburst is rare for Zinkoff and suggests that he has begun to feel the shame so many have pushed on him. The shame is reignited the following year, when Hobin intimidates Zinkoff into not turning up for Field Day. Ultimately, Zinkoff's feelings of shame are not alleviated until neighbors and family members come to celebrate his heroism and safety after he goes missing looking for Claudia. With the approval of so many people, Zinkoff goes to school and insists on taking part in a game of pickup football even when the team captains try to make him feel unwanted.

What is significant about Zinkoff's reactions to the bullying he receives?

While one would expect most people to respond to bullying with anger, shame, humiliation, and a sense of inferiority, Zinkoff demonstrates an uncanny patience and understanding when people treat him cruelly. Perhaps because he possesses no instinct for cruelty, Zinkoff doesn't recognize it in others, always assuming good intentions. In first grade, when a fourth-grader steals his giraffe hat, Zinkoff laughs as if he is in on the joke. When the bully tells Zinkoff the hat belongs to him, Zinkoff accepts this as the truth, believing the hat must have belonged to the bully before Zinkoff's parents bought it from the zoo. This reaction throws the bully off-guard because Zinkoff’s naïve good nature unwittingly steals the bully's power. Ultimately, Zinkoff's ignorance of cruelty makes him more immune than most to the ferocity of others. His character remains consistent throughout the course of the story, regardless of the trials he faces. Through Zinkoff, Spinelli illustrates the rare authenticity of an individual’s self. Any "normal" person would change to fit in, to lessen the frequency and severity of the social stigmatism. But through the endearing character of Zinkoff, Spinelli demonstrates the courage that comes with remaining true to your own nature and refusing to compromise because of societal pressures.

What does Loser illustrate about how society at large treats those who are different?

Loser illustrates on an individual, embodied level how society at large mistreats those who are different. Societies tend to fear and punish differences while encouraging conformity, and the same dynamic plays out for Zinkoff as he goes through elementary school. People tend to fear that which they do not understand. Throughout history, immigrants, minorities, poor people, the disabled and the mentally ill have suffered discrimination and oppression because of their difference. Zinkoff's classmates enforce the same punishment on Zinkoff, ostracizing him for failing to conform to their idea of normalcy. He is kind, gentle, but a little odd in the way he seems to lack self-awareness and shame. Because of his difference, he stands out, becoming the target for teasing, humiliation, and gossip. Even some of his teachers—particularly Mrs. Biswell—perceive Zinkoff as a threat to normalcy, and seek to discipline him for failing to conform in his behavior. Encouraging influences such as his family and teachers like Mr. Yalowitz—who seems to sense Zinkoff's need for additional support—give Zinkoff reprieve from the dismissiveness he encounters in others. In this way, the supportive characters represent a counter-power to the dominant attitude that seeks to punish those who are different.

Explain the significance of the yellow button Miss Meeks makes Zinkoff wear.

When Zinkoff can't stop laughing at every funny-sounding word that pops into his head, Miss Meeks disciplines him by pinning a yellow button to his shirt that reads "I know I can behave." The behavior button Miss Meeks removes from her desk and pins to Zinkoff's shirt symbolizes Zinkoff's lack of shame and his inability to conform to social norms. While the button is supposed to shame Zinkoff into obedience by reminding him of his misbehavior, in an instance of situational irony, Zinkoff comes to value the button, actively seeking to wear it. Miss Meeks realizes that it is a "badge of honor" for Zinkoff, and so decides to punish him instead by keeping it in her desk drawer. If Zinkoff possessed greater self-awareness, the button might have disciplined him into feeling shame. But because Zinkoff doesn't understand cruelty, he assumes the button must indicate something positive.

In what ways is Loser a novel about neurodiversity?

A relatively new and somewhat contentious concept, neurodiversity argues that normal variations in the human genome result in diverse neurocognitive conditions, such as ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. Proponents of the concept believe that these neurodivergent conditions ought to be respected, not regarded as abnormal or unhealthy. Throughout Loser, Zinkoff behaves in ways that mark him as abnormal to his teachers and classmates. He lacks shame and self-awareness, which leads him to be at times overly enthusiastic and energetic, suggesting he may have a hyperactivity disorder. He also exhibits signs of dyslexia in his difficult-to-decipher penmanship, which one teacher pronounces "atrocious." He is also physically uncoordinated, struggling to participate in games that require a certain level of bodily control, focus, and conceptual thinking. Because of his difference, Zinkoff is shunned by most neurotypical students and teachers. However, Zinkoff's unique qualities are also encouraged and celebrated by people like his family and Mr. Yalowitz. These people represent a reprieve from the pressures of conformity Zinkoff experiences elsewhere. Among Mr. Yalowitz and his parents, Zinkoff is free to be himself and is not made to feel ashamed or inadequate for having a brain that is wired differently than most others.