If you begin your life as a sickly, unloved little kid, can you transform into a content human being through force of will? Well, yes and no. David is born with the artistic talent that ultimately allows him to become the person he wants to be—but it's only when his therapist praises his drawings that he begins to think his talent could save him. The scene in Stitches in which he's screaming in the car on the way to visit his dying mother is when we know he'll be okay. He's not screaming for her; he's screaming to strengthen his own voice.
Questions About Transformation
- At what point in the story does David's transformation begin?
- Would David have become a self-actualized human being without his artistic talent?
- How does his therapist aid in David's transformation?
- Why does the boarding school fail to change David in the way his parents hope?
Chew on This
David can't become the person he's meant to be if he stays in Detroit. He needs to put some miles between himself and the place he comes form.
All the characters in David's dreams undergo transformations, even if they're not happy ones.