A Crooked Kind of Perfect

Zoe’s parents are both dynamic characters that are multidimensional and play a major role in Zoe’s young life. Navigating Challenging Family Dynamics is a significant part of Zoe’s day-to-day experience, and her parents have a strong influence on her self-perception and image of the world. Zoe’s mother is a controller of finances for Michigan state, and Zoe often considers her mother to be very dull and dry. She finds it difficult to connect with her mother, who is usually working rather than at home, except when they are listening to classical music in the car together. Zoe obviously treasures these moments, as she includes snippets about them often. Zoe and her mother have a strained relationship at times, but they don’t argue; instead, it’s an unspoken tension that Zoe picks up on regularly. When Zoe’s mother misses her birthday, she isn’t entirely surprised, though she is disappointed. Zoe’s mom surprises her at the competition by showing up for the final performance to hear her play and cheer her on. Zoe finally feels seen and heard, and she can sense her mother’s pride in her achievement.

Zoe’s dad has an unnamed mental illness that renders him generally unable to leave home without experiencing major stress and becoming overwhelmed. Zoe is closer with her father, in part because he is always home, and in part because he is the more emotive and affectionate parent. Zoe’s father is also highly impulsive, and this is what leads to him buying her an organ rather than a piano. Zoe accepts the organ, though she is highly disappointed in it, and her father helps her learn to have fun with it by dancing and singing along with her playing. Zoe’s father’s limitations put restrictions on her own life, and she has long been used to not being able to do things like join scouts or visit friends. When her dad takes her to the competition, he is putting his entire being into making it happen. Zoe admires her dad for taking that leap. Zoe’s dad also befriends Wheeler, who gives him a new friend to talk to and who helps him find the confidence to take an overnight baking position. Though both of Zoe’s parents have their challenges and flaws, Zoe is grateful to be in a family full of unconditional love.

Wheeler Diggs is Zoe’s new friend who inserts himself into her life, ultimately for the better. He is a dynamic character who appears to be a rough and intimidating kid. His hair is always messy, and he always wears the same jean jacket. After Zoe plays music for the class and gets everyone dancing, Wheeler tells her that was cool, and this first interaction is the beginning of a meaningful friendship. Wheeler starts inviting Zoe to sit with his group of boys at lunch, and she has fun acting goofy with them. When Zoe brings cookies to school one day, Wheeler is amazed by their quality and follows Zoe home for more. He ends up befriending Zoe’s dad, which shocks Zoe, who is used to seeing her dad shy away from strangers. Wheeler turns out to be exactly what Zoe’s dad needs because he gets him focused on a single skill, gives him a new friend, and inspires him to take a job as a baker. Zoe feels briefly overshadowed by Wheeler but soon starts to see the benefits he is having on her family dynamics. He also turns out to be a good friend to Zoe, even spending the day making her a birthday cake and always reminding her of her talent. Wheeler’s friendship turns out to be key in helping Zoe’s family begin to heal and come together again.

Mabelline Person is Zoe’s piano teacher. She is a static character whose role is to help Zoe learn to play and find her confidence, and this is exactly what Mabelline does. While she initially comes across as stuffy and arrogant, Mabelline slowly warms up to Zoe and starts to notice talent in her that Zoe is almost unaware of. For the first few lessons, Mabelline tells Zoe she needs to practice more and laughs when Zoe asks if she’s a prodigy, but she adds an important point: “You have some talent and you work hard. I’ll take that over prodigy any day” (60). Mabelline slowly builds Zoe’s skill by challenging her more and more each time they meet. Mabelline helps Zoe come back to reality with her goals and her perception of talent and perfection. She also signs Zoe up for her first competition, which leads to Zoe making a new friend, feeling the support and love of her parents, and seeing herself succeed in music.

Emma Dent is Zoe’s old best friend who decides to leave Zoe behind in favor of a girl she finds more interesting. Emma is a mildly antagonistic character because she hurts Zoe’s feelings and makes her feel insignificant, even when she doesn’t go out of her way to. Emma and Zoe met in third grade when they discovered they were both wearing toe socks, and they had been best friends ever since. However, Emma told Zoe one day she was no longer wanted but could still sit with her out of pity. Emma comes from a highly privileged family and gets whatever she wants, while Zoe comes from a family that has to live more modestly. Zoe is often jealous of Emma for this reason, particularly when Emma is gifted a grand piano that she doesn’t even want. For a while, Zoe wants to reconnect with Emma and does her best to make this happen, like when she buys Emma some toe socks for her birthday, but her attempts fail. Zoe eventually loses interest in Emma when she finds a new friend in Wheeler. Because of the way that Emma inadvertently pushes Zoe toward better friendships and forces Zoe to reflect on what it means to be a friend, Emma is an example of Friendship as a Pillar for Personal Growth.