Andy isolates himself after the accident. That's pretty much all we needed to say about the theme of isolation in Tears of a Tiger.
Just kidding, we'll go on. When Andy feels overwhelmed by guilt after Robbie's death, he relies on Keisha to get him through. And boy, does she do her fair share—she listens to him anytime and puts up with his random mood swings. But she can't do this forever, and pretty soon, Andy is without Keisha, and feels like he's without anyone else, too.
It turns out many people are there for Andy (Tyrone, B.J., Rhonda, to name a few), but he just doesn't realize it. So instead of actually being isolated, isolation is something Andy brings upon himself, to his own detriment. Big time.
Questions About Isolation
- Why does Andy isolate himself from people? Why doesn't he turn to his buddies after the accident?
- Who is lonely in the book and why? Is anyone not feeling isolated, the way Andy is? Why?
- Keisha says that friends make high school worth going to. Is this true? What does someone experience without any friends?
- How does Andy's isolation push him toward suicide? Do you think things would have gone differently if Andy managed to connect with any of the people he called right before he died? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Andy is alone in the end because he pushes everyone else away—ultimately, he only has himself to blame for his isolation.
Andy's friends really drop the ball: They should have recognized the uniqueness of Andy's position as the person driving, and insisted on helping him through his grief.