Emotional Change In 'The Misfits'

Noteworthy experiences can set off the track of your life. In the novel The Misfits by James Howe, the protagonist undergoes a moving emotional change. Bobby faces bullying and self-doubt which causes a journey of self-exploration.

Although Bobby Goodspeed was solicitous towards others, he could never inspire himself. By solely reading, “But all I can say is that if you are willing to dig below the surface, you will discover the real Skeezie Tookis, and there you will find as big a heart as was ever produced by the little town of Paintbrush Falls, New York,” on page one and two, you can identify his benevolence towards others. Bobby constantly beats his ingenuity down, due to the fact that his father discourages it. Mike Goodspeed, Bobby’s dad, isn’t an ideal figure to idolize because once his wife died “he hit the bad times” (page 62). This included a series of alcoholism, job loss, depression, and bankruptcy, but as an attempt to cheer up his mourning son and be an exceptional father, Mr. Goodspeed shared his wife’s favorite sandwich recipe: marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and bread. Bobby started bringing in the sandwich for lunch as a coping mechanism for his grief, but naive classmates commenced calling Bobby “Fluff” (pg. 12) because of his weight. Eventually, Bobby assimilates how it

Slowly but surely, Bobby builds up his confidence and allows his intelligence to shine through. One of Bobby’s best friends, Addie, incites Bobby throughout his journey, but it was mainly himself embracing what he already possessed. Bobby says it best on page 135: “I am about to stop being a get-along kind of guy and turn into somebody who makes a difference.” Through his middle school election campaign, Bobby recompensates himself for all of the years that he kept his aptitude for school bottled up. The moment Bobby fathoms that he is more like his mother in the sense that he can “make things happen” (page 178-179), is when he benefits from his talents the