Gonzo a.k.a. Paul Ignacio Gonzales

Character Analysis

Scaredy Cat with an Afro

Meet Gonzo, a vertically-challenged hypochondriac Hispanic kid with a video game obsession who rocks a killer afro. When Gonzo first makes an appearance in the fourth floor bathroom, Cam isn't sure whether he's real or a hallucination brought on by some bad weed. Despite plenty of other things being figments of Cam's brain, though, Gonzo is most definitely the real deal.

Although it takes some convincing, Gonzo basically agrees to go on a wild goose chase with a guy who is in the hospital for a disease that rots the brain—which takes some guts, right? It's especially brave if you consider Gonzo's background: After his father ran out on them, his mother took to being ridiculously overprotective of him, to the point that every cough meant lung cancer and every headache was the harbinger of doom.. Heaven forbid Gonzo attempt to have a normal childhood:

"I was about to reach for the next [rung] when I heard my mom scream my name. She was standing in our yard with this look of terror on her face. I could tell she was ready to run for me—she didn't trust, you know what I'm saying? When I looked back at that next rung, it seemed about a million miles away. I didn't feel so sure anymore. I reached for it, but sorta half-assed, you know? And I missed. Fell down and broke my arm and a rib and started crying. […] That was the first time… the first time I got that feeling… that… the only thing keeping me alive… was my mom. And I hated her for it." (27.33)

Okay, so Gonzo has some mommy issues. Don't we all? In Gonzo's case, though, they're important to note because of how much they shape his entire character. Because of his sheltered upbringing, he uses his inhaler like a security blanket, is convinced that anyone driving a van or in ownership of a basement must be a deranged serial killer, and he's afraid of everything.

Gonzo grabs hold of my arm and my skin screams in protest. "Cam, dude, I don't think we should get in the van. We don't know these guys. They could be serial killers."

"They're not serial killers. They have matching shirts."

"Think: who has vans, huh? Soccer moms and serial killer. They mentioned a compound. And 'getting the van ready.' Ready for what?" (23.89-91)

Gonzo was raised to see danger in every little thing, which he dutifully does. This only makes his derring-do all the more impressive, though—he really pushes himself to stand by Cam.

As the story progresses, however, Gonzo begins to find himself and stops jumping at his own shadow. One of the major turning points occurs when Gonzo has to go on the show I Double Dog Dare You in order to save Balder from captivity at the MTV-clone YA! Network. Cam fears for his friend because all they'd have to do is try to make him eat from the buffet and the kid will go into a germaphobic swoon. But au contraire, mon frère—Gonzo pwns that show:

"I hear this rrrrrnnnnn-nnnn-nnnnn, and I think, Oh s***, man. They are revving this baby up. I started thinking about all the things I've never done, like surf or get a tattoo or tell my mom off. Mostly I think that I've never gotten to be myself. Ever. I hear that rrrrnnnn-nnn-NNNN-nnn near my ear, and I vowed to myself, Dude, if you make it out of this alive, you are going to do it, whatever it is. The big guys wrap their paws around my throat. Parker pulls out a razor, lowers it to my head. And thirty seconds later, I'm a mohawk man." (44.46)

As it turns out, being a mohawk man is the least of Gonzo's bravery. He gets a spur-of-the-moment tattoo, and even more impressively he comes out as gay in a very nonchalant, take-it-or-leave-it manner (44.59), which takes some chutzpah to say the least. He's come a long way from the germaphobic hypochondriac Cam meets in the hospital bathroom.

So Gonzo's quest to discover who he truly is and find the courage to express himself parallels Cam's mission to learn about friendship and the meaning of life. Cue the sentimental music, because they couldn't have done it without each other. Aw.