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Edwin Flake Quotes

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Edwin is probably Jim Shepard's greatest triumph in the novel. Shepard creates a quiet character that clings onto whatever self-respect survives humiliation which is Flake. Despite Flake's aggressive domination in their friendship, FLake is Edwin's only friend. Edwin would be classified part of the rejected adolescents. In chapter twelve of our text book, rejected adolescents are described as children who are actively dislliked and whose peers may react to them in an obviously negative manner. "..the social world of rejected and neglected adolescents is considerably less pleasant. They have fewer friends, engage in social activites less frequently, and have less contact with the opposite sex. They see themseleves... as less popular, and they are more likely to feel lonely" (McElhaney, Antonishak, & Allen, 2008; Woodhouse, Dykas, & Cassidy, 2012). …show more content…

The novel demonstrates how teens are highly susceptible to peer pressure, the influece of one's peers to conform to their behavior and attitudes. Flake has a very strong influence on Edwin's decisions, with his strong and agressive demenor. Numurous events in the novel support this and comes down to the fact that Edwin does not stand up to Flake. It's almost like he is frightened to do so, and being his only friend, Flake is his surrival through humiliation. The author does not just trap the two main characters in a world where no one notices the problem or cares about them. Edwin's parents are well aware that he is troubled, they both try to understand and be there for emotional support. However, with their awkward attempts to reach out to Edwin never seem to get through to him, rather making Edwin feel once again attacked. The two main character's rebellious behavior make them an easy target for the scorn of the teachers, parents, and their

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