Drive

Stella’s primary love interest, Reid, is the novel’s deuteragonist. His immense talent and the weight of his past define his character. A round and dynamic character, he evolves from a pessimistic and guarded musician into a man who learns to confront his demons. Reid embodies the archetype of the tormented artist, whose cynical worldview was shaped by a difficult upbringing with parents who used alcohol and a history of personal failures. His initial interactions with Stella are dismissive and laced with biting sarcasm, as evident in his initial nickname for her, “little sister” (5), which he uses to establish distance. His guarded nature is a defense mechanism, shielding deep-seated vulnerability and a powerful capacity for loyalty and love. His initial state is one of near destitution: He struggles to make ends meet, and his bare apartment starkly reflects his internal emptiness and despair.

Reid’s psyche is dominated by a sense of guilt and self-loathing, stemming from the car accident involving his ex-girlfriend, Lia, and the financial burden of his parents’ poor health. He believes that when “the world swings at you long and hard enough […] you’re eventually going to hit your knees” (63), a philosophy that dictates his early decisions. His pessimism leads him to sacrifice his musical ambitions and leave Austin, believing that he isn’t worthy of success or Stella’s affection. Music is both his greatest passion and a source of pain. As the drummer for Dead Sergeants, he’s a prodigious talent yet initially can’t see a future in it. His relationship with music is deeply personal, an outlet for the rage and hurt he can’t otherwise express. His transformation begins when he allows himself to accept help and believe in his own potential, a shift largely catalyzed by Stella’s unwavering faith in him.

The relationship between Reid and Stella is intense and volatile, marked by a magnetic pull that both characters struggle against. He comes to see her as “Grenade,” implying a force of beautiful chaos that threatens to disrupt his carefully controlled, miserable existence. While he initially pushes her away, her belief in him slowly erodes his defenses. His journey centers on learning to accept love and forgive himself. Even after achieving massive commercial success with the band, he remains haunted by his past and his decision to leave Stella. His ultimate romantic gesture, performing a cover of “Drive,” is a public confession of his love and regret, using the language he knows best, music, to communicate the depth of his feelings and finally fight for the future he once believed he didn’t deserve.

A round, static character, Nate is a romantic rival to Reid and a mentor figure for Stella. As the ambitious and successful editor of Austin Speak, he represents a life of stability, professionalism, and conventional success. In contrast to Reid’s chaotic, artistic nature, Nate is composed, confident, and direct. He embodies the theme of Navigating Ambition and Personal Sacrifice, having built his own paper from the ground up, a feat that required immense dedication. His character is a significant foil to Reid, offering Stella a secure future and a love that is gentle and supportive, thereby sharpening the novel’s central romantic conflict.

From his first interaction with Stella, Nate recognizes her raw talent and ambition, even as he notes her lack of experience. He becomes a pivotal figure in her professional development, letting her prove herself as a writer and providing her with the tools to succeed. Their relationship is initially professional but develops a romantic undercurrent, characterized by witty banter and a clear, mutual attraction. Nate is direct about his intentions, telling Stella, “I’ve wanted you since the minute you walked that beautiful ass into my paper” (243). Unlike Reid, he’s emotionally available and straightforward, presenting a partnership with clear and healthy boundaries.

While Nate is a genuinely good man who cares deeply for Stella, he represents a safer, less passionate path, which she ultimately can’t choose. He offers her a life that aligns with her professional goals but doesn’t ignite the all-consuming fire that her relationship with Reid does. His character remains largely consistent throughout the narrative. He’s steadfast in his ambition and his affection for Stella. His eventual breakup with her isn’t a result of a change in his character, but rather stems from his recognition that he can’t compete with the emotional connection she shares with Reid. He accepts this with a maturity and grace that underscores his fundamental decency, ultimately leaving a lasting, positive impact on Stella’s life and career even as their romantic story ends.

Stella’s older sister, Paige, is a central supporting character, embodying the roles of both a guardian and an obstacle. As a static character, her motivations remain consistent: She’s fiercely protective of Stella and desires a stable, conventional life for both her sister and herself. When Stella first moves to Austin, Paige gives her a home and a sense of grounding. However, her protectiveness quickly creates conflict in Stella’s relationship with Reid, who is Paige’s best friend. Knowing Reid’s troubled past, Paige actively tries to keep him and Stella apart, considering him a destructive force who will only cause her sister pain.

This dynamic positions Paige as an antagonist in the central romance. Her decision to kick Stella out of her apartment is a pivotal moment that forces Stella and Reid together, an ironic outcome given her attempt to separate them. Paige’s most significant action is revealing the truth about Reid’s car accident: that he allowed Lia to take the blame instead of owning up to his drunk driving. She tells Stella, “He slammed them into a telephone pole and nearly killed them both, and he was willing to let her take the fall for it” (124). Through this revelation, Paige intends to protect Stella but also deeply wounds Reid, highlighting the complex loyalties that Paige navigates. Her eventual marriage to Neil represents the secure, traditional life she values, which contrasts with the chaotic, artistic world to which Stella is drawn. Though Paige’s actions are often judgmental and controlling, they stem from a place of genuine love and concern for her sister.

Stella’s best friend and confidante, Lexi, is a flat but essential character who provides unwavering support and a pragmatic, often humorous, perspective on Stella’s life. She fulfills the classic best-friend archetype, providing a sounding board for Stella’s romantic and professional anxieties. Her blunt, no-nonsense attitude is a foil to Stella’s more emotional and dramatic nature. Lexi delivers the inciting news of Nate’s wedding, inadvertently setting the novel’s plot in motion. Her commentary on the seemingly fated and unfortunate events in Stella’s life, which she calls “freaky shit,” plays into the theme of Shaping One’s Life Through Choices Rather Than Fate.

Lexi’s loyalty to Stella is her defining trait. She moves to Austin to support her friend and consistently offers advice that, while frank, is always in Stella’s best interest. Her own romantic storyline with Ben, the charismatic frontman of Dead Sergeants, parallels Stella’s involvement with Reid and provides a secondary exploration of the complexities of loving a musician. Despite her initial philosophy of avoiding serious relationships, she falls deeply for Ben, and their subsequent struggles offer another perspective on the sacrifices inherent in such a lifestyle. Ultimately, Lexi remains Stella’s most steadfast ally, a constant source of stability and honest friendship in the midst of Stella’s often tumultuous life.

The charismatic lead singer of Dead Sergeants, Ben, is one of Reid’s closest friends. As a flat character, his primary role is to facilitate plot developments within the music scene and the romantic storylines. Stella first sees his band perform on her birthday, leading to her initial positive review and her subsequent involvement with the group. Ben’s friendly and outgoing personality contrasts sharply with Reid’s brooding and introverted nature, and he often translates or mediates between Reid and the outside world. His immediate attraction to Lexi sparks a significant secondary romance that mirrors the main plot’s exploration of love and ambition. In addition, he provides Stella with crucial insights into Reid’s character, particularly regarding Reid’s toxic relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Lia, and tells Stella, “I think you’re good for him” (171).