The Season of Styx Malone

“It was a fair trade.”

Bobby Gene’s blurted rationale for giving baby sister Susie to Cory Cormier in exchange for a bag of fireworks is a comical moment for readers, but the line also foreshadows the premise of the larger story. Once the Franklin brothers meet Styx Malone and learn of his Great Escalator Trade experiences, their thoughts, motivations, and actions will center on trading one possession for another until they reach the desired goal—a used moped in the hardware store window.

“You’re just like everyone else. Don’t let them tell you different.”

Situational irony is evident in this mantra from Caleb’s father. Dad offers his boys this message intending to boost their confidence. Caleb, however, sees no such positive moral instruction—he is appalled to think of being average, as he wants to be a person who stands out. The reader comprehends Dad’s intent though Caleb does not see it, resulting in dramatic irony as well.

“We were smooth. As if we could already taste the glory that the grasshopper would bring, once it was ours. It was the middle of the afternoon. We were way out of bounds and technically delinquent. It felt amazing.”

Caleb’s tone as a first-person narrator is already changed from the earlier chapters as he falls more deeply under the “spell” of Styx Malone’s mystique. Caleb was primed for a tempting influence even before they met thanks to his unquenchable yearning to leave ordinary behind. A desire to emulate Styx’s laid-back attitude quickly supersedes Caleb’s obligation to follow family rules such as letting Mom know about trips to town; here, the rush he feels from unruly behavior is obvious.