Coping Mechanisms In Drums, Girls, And Dangerous Pie

Throughout Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie the protagonist, Steven, uses different coping mechanisms to deal with his brother’s leukemia diagnosis. Steven is a thirteen-year-old boy who has the standard struggles of any teenage boy: girls, an extracurricular activity, and an embarrassing family. He felt his life was going fine, but then he discovered that his brother had leukemia. After his brother’s diagnoses, Steven uses coping mechanisms to deal with his emotions. The coping mechanisms he uses give the story mood. A major mood that is expressed in the story is depression. Finding out that his brother had leukemia makes Steven use language that gives a depressing mood. When discussing his journaling for language arts Steven explains,

. . or she was just giving me enough rope to hang myself.” The disconnect from the outside world, and the use of suicidal language show depression. This is a large contributor to the reader’s mood of depression. Steven, instead of working on his homework and paying attention, loses focus in class, and spaces out. “That was in the middle of math class, while I was staring out the window as the class checked the homework I hadn’t done. Unfortunately, I got distracted by the teacher's despairing cry.” Steven zones out in many of his classes, which puts him behind in school, and makes him detached from the world. Steven, although he had nothing to do with the diagnoses of his brother’s cancer, feels guilty. While reminiscing on his memory of Jeffery's birth Steven remembered his grandfather assigning him the role of Jeffrey's “Protector.” Steven then feels guilty for not being there for Jeffrey. The text states, “So

Steven is angered at the world for Jeffrey having cancer, but does not know how to express it. This causes him to lash out at a number of people in his life. Steven’s mother returned home with Jeffy, and was concerned for Steven’s school life. She had asked if he would feel convalescent if she had told the school staff. He responded with a sarcastic rant, in which Steven stated, “What additional support? A group hug in homeroom every morning? Maybe my teachers could write you little notes in my agenda book. Or how about you sign me up for a nice counseling group? Perhaps you could make me look like more of dork to my peers. Do you think you get me a seat on the short bus?” This outbreak shows the reader the anger that Steven has. It allows the reader to feel the emotion that Stephen has, thus providing mood. Steven is very protective of Jeffrey. After Jeffrey was diagnosed, people arrived at Steven's house to visit Jeffrey. On page eighty-seven the text says, “Meanwhile, I’m standing there, mentally shouting at them, ‘Be gentle, you moron! DON”T BRUISE HIM! Please . . . step . . . away . . . from . . . the . . . boy.’” The strong language and name calling Steven uses induces the feeling of anger towards the inept visitors. Steven loves his brother, which is proved many times throughout the book, and is shocked when Jeffrey doesn’t want to play. He said, “This was the kid who had spent entire days at a