Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

The Dads

The role of guide or mentor is severely lacking in this book. Steve (Titus's dad) might seem like the go-to guy to mentor his son and show him what it means to be a man. That's not happening, though because this guy's way self-absorbed. The only thing he's teaching his son is that if you have enough money to fling around, you can buy yourself whatever you want to make yourself feel better in the short term. This is what Titus's dad basically does when he buys Titus that sweet, sweet ride (the Dodge Gryphon upcar).

In a way, Violet's dad ends up being mentor to Titus. He's gives Titus a big in-your-face lesson about how shabbily he treated Violet by playing him her last memories for Titus, and Titus—we think—finally gets it.