Content Warning: This source text depicts bullying and insensitive remarks about mental health.

Cooper Vega is the protagonist. The reader roots for Cooper and hopes he finds a sense of belonging in Stratford and can help Roddy without too many adverse consequences. But while Cooper is the main character, he does not tell the story: Korman uses third-person subjective narration. The narrator isn’t a character in the story, but a separate storyteller with access to Cooper’s thoughts and feelings—and only Cooper’s feelings and thoughts. Thus, the narrator can’t tell what’s going inside Jolie’s head or what’s happening with Roddy’s emotions, but they can disclose when Cooper feels sad, happy, or confused.

Cooper is 12 years old and in the seventh grade. His dad is in the army, so he’s an “army brat”—he moves around a lot. The narrator states, “Cooper is pretty much the world champion at being the new kid since Stratford Middle is his fifth school in the past three years” (1). His father’s career means that Cooper is in a continuous Search for Belonging. Cooper doesn’t feel like he belongs anywhere, and the kids at Stratford reinforce his isolating existence when they call him “Whatshisface,” “kid,” or “the new kid.