Symbolism

In this book Dave’s mother uses food as a way to have power over him. She punishes him by not feeding him, there for food is a symbol of power in this book. In Chapter 4, “the Fight for Food” Dave tells us about how is plots and plans to make sure that he gets food, but most of the time his mom finds out, and punishes him by doing awful things to him such as making him drink ammonium, or bleach, or soap, or by just making him throw it up. Although most of the time Dave’s mother uses food to overpower Dave, he uses it overpower his mother as well.  “As I held a piece of frozen pumpkin pie crust or a bit of a taco shell, I was the king, and like a king on his throne, I gazed down on my food and smiled” (p. 79).  Again Dave shows how he can survive, and make himself smile, through all the storms that are happening around him.

            In the epilogue of the book Dave sees a piece of driftwood and he himself compares it to his own life. While at the beach Dave picks up a piece of wood that has been thrown up on the shore and then dragged back by the tide into the ocean. It has an “odd, twisted shape. The wood is pitted, yet smoothed and bleached from its time in the sun” (p. 156). Dave remarks that the wood reminds him of his life. He says his life was very “extremely turbulent”, but unlike the driftwood, he took full control and responsibility of his life. This again relates back to the theme. Everyone can relate to having hardship and trials, but everyone has power of their endpoint.