Deza Malone

Character Analysis

The Girl Next Door

Bud's first kiss!

Well, there's more to Deza than that, but romance is certainly one exciting thing she brings to the story. We only see Deza for a few pages, but she plays an important part in Bud's story. Her main function is to be a guide and mentor for Bud, who is trying to figure out what is important to him and where to go, but she is also a part of his coming-of-age story. We know this because she plants the seed in his head about romance and feelings. Bud makes friends with Deza quickly, and it's no wonder: she's sweet, strong, hardworking, wise, and dreamy. All things you might want in a friend.

Deza asks Bud for a kiss, his first kiss. We know she's a little more experienced than Bud—she's already had her first kiss, so she seems a little more mature. She's the one who can create and appreciate a romantic atmosphere: "When I opened my eyes and pulled back Deza kept hers closed and smiled. She looked down and stuck her hand in mine again…She looked out at the crick and the woods on the other side and said, 'Isn't this romantic?'" (8.167)

What a grown-up thing to feel, huh? Bud is growing up fast, especially during this moment with Deza. She is like a mature adult in a little kid's body. During this scene, we can really see Bud getting more mature and having new life experiences. Meeting up with Deza is part of what helps Bud make some hard choices about how to keep going and which way to go.

One Wise Little Girl

This little girl is a truth teller. She calls it like she sees it, and she sees it straight. After Bud tries to brush off his mother's death by saying it's "OK" in a conversation with Deza, she calls his bluff: "No, it's not and you should quit pretending that it is" (8.131).

Well, how's that for straight talk? Then Deza shares a bit of wisdom with Bud that helps him remember what he's learned about living, "…my daddy says families are the most important thing there is…" (8.133). When Deza says this, Bud remembers what his mother had had told him about families and about how loved Bud is. So Deza is a little bit like Bud's mother: she's someone who cares about him and can teach him a lot about life.

Deza's wisdom comes from her mom and dad, who know a lot about life from living on the road and off the land. Deza repeats this wisdom to Bud, and Bud applies to his own situation. It goes the other way, too, because Bud repeats the wisdom he got from his mother, and this wisdom helps Deza out. Just as their parents helped them out, Deza and Bud try to help each other out. It's a tough world out there, so a little wisdom goes a long way.

It's also Deza who makes Bud start to think that he should stay in Flint and look for his dad rather than catch a train to California. "Deza's momma was right," Bud thinks, "someone who doesn't know who their family is, is like dust blowing around in a storm, they don't really belong any one place. I started wondering if going to California was the right thing to do… it seemed to make a whole lot more sense to think that they were somewhere around Flint instead of out west" (8.199). So, you see, Deza plays a big role in Bud launching his big journey to find a home.