Even though Victor feels socially stunted by his stuttering in Paperboy, he has some true blue friends that stick with him no matter what. Rat is his best friend and treats him no differently from any other peer—it's basically the best thing about him. Rat talks about how Victor is an awesome baseball player instead of pointing out his stuttering. On top of that, Victor has Mam, who loves him like crazy. And he even manages to find some new friends on his paper route in Mr. Spiro and TV Boy.
Questions About Friendship
- Why are Victor and Rat such good friends? What makes their friendship work? Be specific and give evidence from the text.
- Why does Victor consider Mam one of his best friends in the world? How does Mam feel about him? How would you describe their relationship?
- How do Victor and Mr. Spiro form a friendship despite their age difference? What do they each bring to the other's life?
Chew on This
By spending so much time with Mam, Victor has the important experience of befriending people outside of his social circle—and learning more about the world in the process.
Victor befriends TV Boy at the end of the book because they share something in common—difficulty communicating. Together, they can be themselves without fear of judgment.