Essay Questions

Why is the author depicting Quinton as a hopeless man?

Quinton is the protagonist of the story, and he has lost most people that matter in his life. The only consolation for Quinton is the heavy drinking of alcohol. The main reason why Quinton is drinking alcohol is to forget everything that he is going through. Since the people who matter to Quinton are no longer available, Quinton decides to live a lonely life with little social interaction. When he decides to move to a new town to start life fresh, things do not work according to his plans, and he again resolves to drink alcohol. Consequently, Quinton has lost hope in life, and he does not know what to do next.

How does the theme of suffering and stress syndrome emerge in 'Rumble Young Man Rumble' by Dante Zuniga-West?

Quinton is a stressed man because of what he has gone through in life. After breaking up with his girlfriend, Quinton's grandfather and best friend passed away. These people brought the meaning of life to Quinton, and their demise meant the destruction of his life. Alcohol becomes Quinton's best friend, but it does him more harm than good. He also resorts to watching movies to distract him from his thoughts. Quinton becomes addicted to movies and alcohol, a situation which does not help him at last.

What is the symbolic meaning of the character Quinton?

Quinton is the main character in 'Rumble Young Man Rumble,' and he represents people who resolve to alcohol addiction after facing life challenges. The author is trying to communicate to the reader that losing loved ones is not the end of life because it is possible to start afresh. Resolving to alcohol adds more problems in someone's life. The notion that alcohol helps one forget his problems is a fallacy because after returning sober, the problems reoccur again. Therefore, the best way to deal with life challenges is to remain healthy, get counseling, and get preoccupied with an economic activity to ensure continuity of life.