When he kissed Jamal at the mall, Jamal seemed afraid and sad afterwards and wouldn't talk to him. Since Jamal was not talking to him anymore, Alex thought he had done something wrong. Over the course of the rising action, Alex gets really worked up about the possibility that he might be gay and goes to his parents and asks them if they think people who are gay are normal and can be good people. Although Alex's mom's answer is not that bad, Alex's father responds to the question in a way that makes Alex feel even more insecure and down about who he is than before. When Alex asks his dad if he thinks being gay is wrong, his dad replies "It's and illness. People like that are sick" (59). This makes Alex feel that he is perverted and is not normal. All of his friends at school make fun of gay people without knowing that Alex is actually gay and it is really hurting him. At the climax, Alex punches Curt, one of his "friends," who is making fun of him for being gay. Mr. Bonita, Alex's science teacher who everyone thinks is also gay, stops the fight and teaches Alex a very important lesson about life that helps Alex resolve his conflict with himself and
When he kissed Jamal at the mall, Jamal seemed afraid and sad afterwards and wouldn't talk to him. Since Jamal was not talking to him anymore, Alex thought he had done something wrong. Over the course of the rising action, Alex gets really worked up about the possibility that he might be gay and goes to his parents and asks them if they think people who are gay are normal and can be good people. Although Alex's mom's answer is not that bad, Alex's father responds to the question in a way that makes Alex feel even more insecure and down about who he is than before. When Alex asks his dad if he thinks being gay is wrong, his dad replies "It's and illness. People like that are sick" (59). This makes Alex feel that he is perverted and is not normal. All of his friends at school make fun of gay people without knowing that Alex is actually gay and it is really hurting him. At the climax, Alex punches Curt, one of his "friends," who is making fun of him for being gay. Mr. Bonita, Alex's science teacher who everyone thinks is also gay, stops the fight and teaches Alex a very important lesson about life that helps Alex resolve his conflict with himself and