About A Boy Analysis

Marcus Brewer is a 12-year-old boy who is unusual, but very considerate. He is a vegetarian, lives with his mother, Fiona in a flat, but they are not wealthy. Marcus is different, and is having a hard time both at home and school. Marcus seems to be sensitive, dejected and awkward.
First, Marcus is sensitive because when Fiona tells Marcus that she loves him in front of kids at Marcus’s school, even though it is embarrassing for Marcus, he still tells her “I love you too” (10). Marcus also knows that if he answers back to Fiona, he would be teased by some of the cooler kids. Knowing that this would happen but still telling Fiona he loves her is very thoughtful, and kind of him. Another reason we can observe that Marcus is sensitive is because when Fiona come back from the hospital after trying to commit suicide, he says to her “I can’t be here to watch you all the time” (38). This suggests that he is vigilant, and it also shows that Marcus is concerned about his mom, and doesn’t want her attempting suicide again. Also, when Marcus is with Will, he asks Will to be Fiona’s boyfriend. “And she is sad, and I think she’d like a boyfriend” (50). This indicates that he is anxious and solicitous.
Second, Marcus is awkward.
For example, Marcus is thinking of his mom in school, and then he starts humming in math class. Then his humming gets louder, and “Marcus starts to sing” (17). From this we can comprehend that Marcus is uncomfortable and not relaxed while at school. Another reason is when Will, Fiona, and Marcus go out for lunch, Marcus asks, “Will, why did your wife chuck you?” (46). This represents that he is a little too nosy and is also impertinent. Also, he dresses different from others, wearing loafers and a knitted scarf to school while some other kids wear nice sneakers, such as the Nike Air Jordans. This indicates how Marcus is one of the geeky, unpopular kids in his
school. Finally, Marcus is dejected. For instance, when Marcus goes to talk to Nicky and Mark, his only friends at school, they tell him “We don’t want you hanging around with us anymore” (18). This reflects that Marcus is friendless, and is isolated from everyone else and is lonely. Another two examples are when Will sees two kids from Marcus’s school hitting Marcus continuously with candies and Will asks Marcus if they do that often, he tells Will “They give me a hard time” (60). Also, the day after Will gets Marcus the new Nike Air Jordan, Marcus comes home crying, and tells Fiona “They stole them” (64). From both of these examples we can comprehend that Marcus is abandoned and solitary. In conclusion, we can see that Marcus is sensitive, dejected and awkward. Most of these characteristics probably come from the fact that his parents are divorced, and Fiona has to raise Marcus all on her own. Because he doesn’t have a father, Marcus has to be concerned about his mom a lot more than the kids who have both a mother and a father. Also, Fiona is a little off color, so that make it even harder for Marcus. Since Marcus has to be worried about his mother a lot, he probably doesn’t have time to be bothered with his clothes, and also doesn’t have time to be connected with people, like his friends at school. All of these show why Marcus is friendless, isolated, and is on his own.