Twisted, written by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a story about the struggles of an adolescent who matures and approaches adulthood. Going through high school, Tyler Miller, the protagonist, faces insecurity, popularity, attraction, aggression, and betrayal, with which he does not always cope in an appropriate way. He requires a role model to guide him, and it is traditionally a father who explains to his son what is right and what is wrong. However, the relationships between Tyler and his father are highly tense. At the beginning of the novel, Tyler’s father is described as a workaholic alienated from his family (Anderson, 2007). Although he has vowed to avoid any physical abuse to differ from his father, he constantly abuses Tyler verbally, expressing his never-ending dissatisfaction with his son having no interest in his life at the same time. Thus, Tyler’s actions that led to his probation were probably determined by his desire to attract his hardworking father’s attention as well. In addition, Tyler frequently thinks about violence in relation to his father and even destroys his CD with a baseball bat.
In the middle of the novel, the relationships between them worsen. After the scandal with Bethany, Tyler’s father has major problems with his boss, Bethany’s father, and he blames Tyler for this. As a result, Tyler wants to commit suicide – he takes his father’s gun, and it may be regarded as a symbol of the boy’s wish to leave his father guilty for his death (Anderson, 2007). However, in the end, his father realizes that he is rude, inattentive, and unjust to his son. He talks with Tyler, hugs him, and promises to become a better father. These actions support Tyler’s desire to change his life positively. In this case, it is possible to say that there is no growth without changes.
Reference
Anderson, L. H. (2007). Twisted. Penguin Books.