Drums, Girls, And Dangerous Pie: Character Analysis

Have you ever seen someone disturbed about something? For example, disturbed that something awful happened to them or someone they knew? When people are disturbed or hurt, they usually go through the five stages of grief-denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. People eventually become relieved and accept that something atrocious happened. In order to deal with it, they usually do things that help them cope with whatever dreadful happened. Steven, a character from the novel Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie, is fighting through the five stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. His brother Jeffrey ends up being diagnosed with cancer. During the novel, Steven goes through many things and fights through …show more content…
The definition of this word is to negotiate something for something else. One example of this word can be when Steven says that if he doesn’t eat that or eat this, his brother will be cured from his illness, cancer (Sonnenblick 80). In the text, it says,” I’d say to myself, ‘OK, if I don’t eat those, Jeffrey will get better’ “ (Sonnenblick 80). This shows bargaining because instead of feeding himself, he wants Jeffrey to get cured. He would rather have his brother cured than him fulfilling his needs of eating. Another example is, “ ‘Take me. Don’t take Jeffy. Please, Lord. Take me’ “ (Sonnenblick 97). This shows that Steven doesn’t really care about himself and that he would rather have his brother alive than himself. In conclusion, he is bargaining his life for …show more content…
The definition of depression is feelings of severe sadness and dejection. One example of this stage is when Steven’s teachers ask Steven why he isn’t doing his work in class. Steven at first gives many excuses but eventually breaks down and tells his teachers that his brother has cancer (Sonnenblick 122). In the text, it says, “And I started to be honest - which hadn’t been my pattern for a while. ‘My brother. . . my brother. . .’ “ (Sonnenblick 122). This shows depression because Steven didn’t know how to explain Jeffrey’s illness and doesn’t want to, but his teachers keep asking him so he eventually breaks down and has no other choice but to tell them about his brother. He couldn’t handle his all his teachers’ questions. Another example is when Steven was going to brush his teeth but realized that there was no point because Jeffrey might die (Sonnenblick 150). In the text, it says, “ ‘Ok, I’ll brush my teeth now. But Jeffrey might die, so what’s the point?’ “ (Sonnenblick 150). This also explains depression because Steven doesn’t care about anything. Also, he is starting to have those “What’s the point?” moments in which he is starting the breakdown. Lastly, he doesn’t know what to exactly