The Honest Truth

The circumstances surrounding Mark’s first dialogue reveal a lot about his self-perception and values: “‘Come on, Beau!’ I called, and my voice didn’t shake one bit. It was strong. Like me” (3). Mark beckons his dog to follow him on a dangerous quest, and he doesn’t hesitate to face the challenge head-on. Mark no longer wants people to see him as weak, and he tries to prove he doesn’t need anyone’s help to live his own life. Mark’s determination drives his stubbornness; once he sets his mind on a goal, nothing can stop him. The first chapter describes Mark steamrolling through the plan’s first phase with determination, strategy, and unshakeable willpower.

The story’s opening section quickly establishes the protagonist’s perspective and motivations, from which readers better understand the choices Mark makes later.

The writing style is rich in similes and metaphors, and particularly in this section, these literary devices establish the mood. As Mark describes, “The sky was getting dark. The low buildings and warehouses around the train tracks threw long shadows” (7). The imagery alone provides sufficient setting details; however, the metaphoric act of the buildings throwing shadows makes the setting feel like an active member in the scene. The metaphor allows the setting to reflect the darkness descending in Mark’s mind and heart, making the atmosphere complement a point in Mark’s character development.

Not only do the narrative’s robust sensory images establish mood and character, but they also imply contextual details. For example, Mark paints a memorable portrait of the diner waitress: “Her eyes glared questions at me. Through her caked-on makeup I could see the shadow of a black eye. Her mouth never stopped working on her gum” (17-18). From the way the waitress intuitively understands Mark’s absent father, paired with the description of her black eye coated in a mask of makeup, she likely comes from the lower working class. She has suffered abuse from her father and, most likely, a boyfriend or husband’s temper. Though her backstory remains largely mysterious, these details support her sympathy for Mark. The waitress’s demeanor also contributes to the setting, creating a place where Mark doesn’t belong—he lives in a comfortable home with loving parents—though it does reflect Mark’s emotional state. Nonetheless, despite the diner’s dingy initial impression, he later views the place in a new light: “It was a place with sound and people, a place where life just kept going on” (29). Instead of longing for such a place, Mark despises it because it reminds him of loneliness and the ticking clock. However, by the novel’s conclusion, Mark will instead remember it as a place that extends hospitality.

Throughout the narration, Mark repeats two phrases: “That’s the truth” and “Here’s what I don’t get” (27). Usually, they appear in this order, one either immediately or soon after the other. First, these phrases reflect Mark’s style of thinking. They almost sound like phrases he picked up from adults and incorporated into his own vocabulary. Mark had to grow up early, and like many adults, he wants to discuss the state of the world as he sees it. This compulsion leads to the second significance of the repetition: Mark’s quest ultimately seeks some kind of truth. In the uncertain life he has, he clings to the few facts he can declare absolutely true. However, those truth claims are quickly followed by more uncertainty: “Here’s what I don’t get” (27). Through these repeated phrases, Mark tracks his coming-of-age process as he scrambles to make sense out of a senseless world.