Character Analysis
Deepak is just twelve years old, and he's in jail because he won't obey his parents or go to school. "He didn't look like a regular kid," Reese tells us. "He had this round face and big glasses like a cartoon character, so we all called him Toon" (2.15). After Toon becomes the de facto punching bag for every single prison bully, Reese appoints himself the little guy's guardian.
Reese has a soft spot for Toon because he sees so much of himself in the kid. "There were minutes where I thought me and Toon were the same person," he says. "I was on the outside, dark and ready with my fists if anything went down, and Toon was the me on the inside, always a little nervous, always looking around to see what was going to happen to him. When dudes messed with Toon I felt they were messing with me" (4.3).
After Reese goes to bat for Toon a third time (and spends five days in solitary as punishment), Toon starts opening up about his life. He tells Reese about how, since his older brother died, his father barely speaks to him. Things are really rough at home.
As bad as Toon's life is at Progress, the prospect of going home sounds even worse, so when his release date is set, Toon tries to kill himself. He's not successful, though, and ultimately Toon is released. We know from the epilogue, which takes place a year later, that Reese and Toon have stayed in touch. "I looked up Toon and he's not doing so good, but he's hanging in there too" (35.3), Reese shares. We hope he keeps going.