boys dont cry Flashcards
Dante
respresents complexities of growing up in britain. he is very smart and is accepted a place at university, though at the start, dante is selfish and immature handling emma. also volatile to adams beating. ironicaly, emma teaches him responsibility and tolerance of others.
Adam
very positive snd unbothered about his sexuality at the start of the novel. he is very open about his feelings even though dante and tyker are very undemonstrative. it is his loneliness and fear abiut his appearance that promp him to suicide, and not his sexuality
Tyler
represents modern, single parenthood with emotional and financial pressures. he also reoresensts a generations of undemonstrative men, unabke to express emotions well. he has high expectations for dante which caused conflict, thought we learn at the end he was trying to protect dante from his own mistakes
Aunt Jackie
Dantes mothers twin sister, who he describes as ‘vinegar’ compared to his mother as ‘honey’. represents wider family a and is initially resented by tyler. but she becomes the help they needed to be able to express their feelings
Melanie
only appears at the start of the book, she respresents the emotional and financial challenges of being a single teen mum. dantes attitude to her abandonment of her daughter reflects societys views on mothers who leave their children/teen mums.
Colette
Dantes Girlfriend, represents the traditional path for their age group. archieved good grafes and has a place at univeristy. however is also presented as immature in her attitude towards emma, as she involves child services.
Josh
Friend of dante, his cruel and and violent nature towards adam reflects his emotional confulict of his sexuality. he is unable to admit his homosexual feelingd and keeps his relationship with adam a secret. he also represents many in society who have mixed feelingd about homosexuality
Emma
her presence in the family is important as she brings dante and his father closer. she represents innocence , making adam realise that appearences dont matter. she is described as ‘smelling of hope’ meaning that she helps the family come to terms with what happened to adam.
