Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Garvey is continually trying to find new and inventive ways to show Cole the truths about life, which requires some imagination because Cole is really set on feeling sorry for himself and blaming the world for all of his problems. One day, Garvey has Cole taste a bunch of different individual ingredients that are used to make a cake before eating the finished product:
"So," Garvey asked. "How did everything taste?"
"Gross." Cole took a long swig of water from the bottle. "What did you expect?"
Garvey reached back into the bag. "I want you to taste one more thing." He unwrapped a small baked cake with creamy frosting and broke off a large piece. "Here," he said. "Eat this if you dare." (3.25-27)
The lesson Garvey is trying to impart is that he knows Cole's life is hard—he's not trying to deny that Cole hasn't had bad luck in terms of parents and his upbringing—but that despite all of the bad elements, he can still make something beautiful (or delicious) out of his life. It takes a few more tries to get this through Cole's thick skull, but eventually Cole appreciates what Garvey is saying and works to make his life better. Yay!