62 pages • 2 hours read
Ben PhilippeField Guide to the North American Teenager
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Impact of Words
Content Warning: The section of the guide features depictions of racism and bigoted language and descriptions of attempted suicide.
The novel explores the impact words have on individuals and interpersonal relationships through Norris’s own thoughtless use of words, both spoken and written. Throughout the novel, many of Norris’s conflicts stem from words and the damage they can do when used carelessly. Norris also has harmful language directed at him, and his reaction to others’ use of slurs furthers the novel’s thematic focus on the consequences of hurtful words.
Norris’s struggle with his own use of words is the primary vessel for this theme. This is made clear in Chapter 2 when Judith warns Norris, “[You’re at] a new school, and these people don’t know you yet. So watch what you say to them” (15). This scene establishes that conflict arising from Norris’s words is nothing new to Norris or Judith and foreshadows the problems Norris faces at Anderson High. These problems begin in Chapter 3 when Norris loses his patience with the cheerleaders accusing him of spying on them. Norris mocks the cheerleaders using derogatory language, which escalates the conflict. In Chapter 4, Liam refers to Norris as the “super-rude Canadian” (39), which Norris suspects is “how the [cheerleaders] were marketing him to the public at large” after their encounter (39). Norris also makes enemies with the jocks when he loudly compares them to cavemen in Chapter 6, resulting in Patrick throwing Norris into wet paint. The physical and social consequences of Norris’s irreverent, often mean-spirited humor toward the jocks and cheerleaders underscore that irresponsible use of words can be socially damaging.
While Norris’s early critical commentary is targeted at people he doesn’t know well and results in physical or social consequences, he experiences the emotional consequences of his unrestrained, thoughtless approach to language after he forms connections with the people he previously criticized. In Chapter 23, after a drunken Patrick alludes to Liam’s mental illness and creates an awkwardness between Liam and Norris, Norris scolds Patrick for outing Liam as a “Prozac popper,” despite these not being the words Patrick used. Liam overhears, and Norris must make amends. Norris acknowledges he “occasionally say[s] something that [leaves] people wide-eyed […] Or, in the worst cases, always accidental, genuinely hurt” (242). When Norris must apologize to Liam for his hurtful language, he acknowledges that this is a trend in his life. Liam isn’t the only person Norris’s words hurt, however. In Chapter 29, Aarti reveals to Maddie that Norris has been keeping a notebook of cruel judgments about Maddie and the rest of the people Norris has met at Anderson High, leading to Maddie stealing the notebook to see for herself. The words Norris has written about Maddie, Meredith, Patrick, and their other classmates hurt Maddie so much that it destroys the relationship she and Norris are trying to start. In Chapter 35, having been iced out by all his new friends, Norris rereads his entries in his field guide and starts “to feel sick to his stomach” (353). He recognizes that all he’s written are “bitter rants, mean asides” (353). Norris recognizes that he’s been harsh and used words carelessly and unfairly to judge the people he’s met. He doesn’t like the person he sounds like when reading the journal. Norris spends the rest of the novel trying to fix things, and by the end of the Epilogue, he is still working to make things right with Maddie. Norris suffers the consequences of his words and has to work to fix things, developing the novel’s exploration of The Impact of Words on others.
Norris himself encounters slurs, deepening the thematic representation of the multi-directional nature of harmful language. In Chapter 23, Patrick calls Norris an anti-gay slur. Norris emphasizes to Patrick, while holding the puke bucket hostage, that if he uses that word again, Norris will “never speak to [him] again, let alone play hockey […] with [him]” (234). Norris emphasizes the gravity of using slurs and how harmful they are to Patrick, developing the idea that some words inherently cause pain and should not be used. Norris faces bigoted language again in Chapter 27 when a player on the opposing hockey team is racist and uses “[a] complete Crayola box set of [colorful language]” (274). The narrative implies that the player directed racial slurs at Norris, and this player is ejected from the game for his behavior. The removal of the player showcases the physical consequence of derogatory language, highlighting the novel’s message that some words should not be spoken. Through Norris’s struggle with his own and with others’ language, the novel develops the idea that words can be harmful and impactful and come with consequences that the speaker or writer must face.
The Influence of Stereotypes on Judgment
Norris arrives in Austin with only his knowledge of teen movies and television to guide his perception of the American high school experience, and his judgments are influenced by common stereotypes and tropes gleaned through his media consumption. The depth of Norris’s reliance on stereotypes to classify others is revealed through his field guide, which contains judgments and generalizations about common high school cliques and archetypes, like cheerleaders, jocks, and the Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
In Chapter 2, Norris begins to classify himself and others at Anderson High, using teenage media as a metric for his judgments. Norris recalls movies and television like Mean Girls, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Breakfast Club, and Freaks and Geeks to back up his theory that high school “mostly amount[s] to one thing: in versus out” (21). Norris assumes that “black French Canadian Norris Kaplan” would not be in the in crowd (21). Using what he’s seen in media, Norris’s first action at Anderson High is to sort himself into the position of outsider, feeling as though he already knows what to expect out of the American high school social hierarchy.
Norris’s stereotype- and trope-driven judgments continue once he begins writing his field guide. Norris’s field guide entries that head every chapter give insight into his bitter, stereotype-informed opinions of his peers. In Chapter 4’s “Loners” entry, Norris writes about “sad eyes” and “[w]eird porn” (36). In Chapter 6’s “Bullies” entry, Norris writes about high school bullies’ futures as “car salesmen with problematic home lives” and “frequently monosyllabic” communication (61). These chapters focus respectively on Liam, who is Norris’s first friend in Austin, and Patrick, a jock Norris eventually and reluctantly befriends. Despite the generally friendly terms Norris lands on with both Patrick and Liam, his entries in his field guide show how he allows stereotypes to inform his immediate judgments of these people, creating a barrier between them before they even know each other.
Norris’s relationship with Maddie, who he initially typecasts as a “Beta Cheerleader” before developing a friendship with her, exemplifies the limitations of judging others based on stereotypes and illustrates Norris’s character growth. In his early field guide entry about “The Beta Cheerleader,” he describes her hobbies as “[k]issing the asses of those at the top, carrying bags, stitching up uniforms” and predicts her future as “beleaguered assistant, sober-sorority-sister hair holder, always a bridesmaid, never a bride” (70). Norris’s encounters with media color his harsh judgment of Maddie, which later hurts their relationship when Maddie reads what Norris has written. Later, Norris allows Aarti to thumb through his field guide to make her feel better, knowing he’s written “a rather vicious string of sentences about [Maddie]” (266). However, Norris acknowledges that “[h]is opinion of her had changed since then, of course” (266). By acknowledging that Norris’s writings are hurtful and don’t reflect his actual opinion of Maddie, the novel highlights that stereotypes and tropes are not an accurate assessment of a person’s character and can lead to harmful assumptions.
By the end of the novel, Norris learns to let go of both stereotypes and his reliance on media tropes to define his world. He acknowledges that “[a]ll movies [are] lies” and that “there [are] no such things as happy endings” because “things just [add] up and [continue] forward” (359, 366). Norris knows he won’t fulfill the trope of happy endings after making amends because his life will carry on long past his youthful mistakes. Norris stops relying on media to inform his expectations and judgments about his high school experiences and peers, developing the overall theme that stereotypes from movies and media are fictionalized versions of reality, not a guide to judging real people and experiences.
Selfishness Versus Selflessness
The theme of selfishness in contrast to selflessness is primarily explored through the character of Maddie McElwee. As Norris gets to know Maddie, the flaws of her selfless nature become apparent, leading Norris to reflect on the balance between selfishness and selflessness.
After Maddie helps Norris land the job at the Bone Yard, Norris begins to notice the supporting role Maddie plays in others’ lives. Norris feels that “for all the balls [Maddie] always seem[s] to be juggling […] she seem[s] to take the back seat in her own life” (137). From taking over babysitting for Big Jim during Norris’s interview to covering for Meredith and Patrick so their parents don’t know they’re hooking up to managing the Bone Yard’s shifts, Maddie works overtime to ensure everyone in her life is taken care of. Maddie’s end of the deal she makes with Norris in Chapter 7 revolves entirely around Norris taking things off her plate so she can continue to juggle the demands of school, work, friends, family, and cheer. The more time Norris spends alongside Maddie, the more he realizes she puts others first too much. In Chapter 13, Norris learns that Maddie and Patrick used to date. Maddie reveals that she and Patrick broke up because “Meredith really liked him” (136), so Maddie stepped aside so her best friend could have her boyfriend. Maddie considers deferring to Meredith again after the cheer coach tells Maddie that she wants her to be captain next year. Maddie is worried because “this has kind of been Meredith’s dream for forever” (198). Not only does Maddie feel guilty for being offered the opportunity, but she also worries there might be backlash if she upsets Meredith by taking it. She dreads altering the dynamic of her friendships by deciding to put herself first, demonstrating that her selflessness is tied up both in kindness and fear. Maddie’s self-effacing nature often lands her in a supporting role, and her fear of changing this suggests that selflessness can be both limiting and protective.
The narrative explores the shortcomings of selflessness through Norris’s reflections on Maddie’s selfless behavior. Often, Norris notes that Maddie exemplifies selflessness to the point of self-detriment, which Norris feels is “the opposite of [him] with his very healthy focus on his own life” (137). The contrast between Maddie’s selflessness and Norris’s focus on himself reveals the toll Maddie’s altruistic behavior takes on her and frames occasional “selfishness” as “healthy” rather than harmful. Later, Norris affectionately confronts Maddie about her overly selfless tendencies. He tells her that she is “too nice” and advises her to “just stop worrying about everyone else’s feelings all the time. Being selfish sometimes is good too” (200). Norris tells Maddie, “[B]e selfish sometimes. Not always […] but, like, put yourself first sometimes” (200). Norris’s advice highlights the dangers of excessive selflessness, encouraging Maddie to put as much value on her own desires as she puts on others.
The culmination of Maddie’s character arc reveals the value of a balance between selflessness and selfishness. Maddie takes Norris’s advice in Chapter 28 when she suddenly kisses Norris on prom night. Maddie reveals that she’s liked Norris since he interviewed at the restaurant, but she never said anything because of his crush on Aarti. When Norris asks what made Maddie decide to kiss him, Maddie replies, “Someone told me to learn to be more selfish” (295), indicating that she’s taking Norris’s advice to heart and trying to put herself first. Later, when Norris tries to win Maddie back after she reads his field guide, Maddie turns him down, unwilling to give in so easily following his mistreatment. Maddie’s choice to prioritize her own self-respect rather than acquiesce to please someone else underscores the personal strength that can accompany a seemingly “selfish” decision. Through Maddie’s character, the novel demonstrates the necessity of achieving a balance between selflessness and selfishness, suggesting that excessive selflessness is detrimental without the balancing force of self-respect.
