Faker

Trey’s dad simultaneously provides a support system and serves as an antagonist for Trey. As Trey notes in early chapters, his dad is brilliant and gifted, but instead of giving back to his community, “his gift is in separating people from their money” (8). While Trey’s dad has made a living out of lying to other people, he has always taken care of Trey and Arianna. Although their lifestyle is inherently dangerous, Trey’s dad has done his best to minimize that danger, and despite his skewed moral compass, he is clearly committed to ensuring his family’s well-being. To this end, he reassures his children that they can trust him and that he will always care for them; however, neither Trey nor Arianna have realized that he also lies to them by tricking them into participating in the family business. For example, by offering Trey illusory milestones, such as becoming a so-called “full partner,” Trey’s dad keeps him invested in the work by making him feel important. These manipulative tactics, which closely mirror the strategies he uses to fleece his marks, are emotionally abusive. However, his wrongdoing is somewhat mitigated by his authentic commitment to taking care of his children. 

Trey’s dad clearly enjoys deceiving people and spends weeks researching and planning his next con before bringing his family to a new location. Once there, he then spends yet more weeks studying his potential marks so that he can tailor his scheme to his audience. In addition to fabricating a realistic-looking product (the car itself), Trey’s dad also dons the perfect persona—someone with inside knowledge of El Capitan Motors who seemingly has nothing remarkable to gain from rich investors. By creating an illusion of trustworthiness, Trey’s dad essentially sells himself, not El Capitan or its false shares. At his heart, Trey’s dad is a salesman; this is an integral part of who he is, and by the end of the book, he gives up grifting and applies his knowledge of sales to more constructive ends, helping to improve the community for the benefit of his children and his neighbors.

In a philosophical sense, Kaylee acts as a foil for Trey’s dad and also becomes a catalyst for Trey’s own change of worldview. As Trey notes, she is “a bulldozer about what she believes in” (161). Her dedication to restoring Albion Pond and removing the pollution from her neighborhood reflects her civic-minded dedication and highlights her keen awareness of The Damaging Effects of Class Differences. Years ago, Albion Pond was a beautiful park that brought the neighborhood together, but it has since been neglected by the city, which has dedicated more resources to maintaining the lake in the Pointe area because the residents there have more money and influence. Seeing this inequity, Kaylee feels a level of disdain for those who live in the Pointe, believing that they promote the social imbalance of Boxelder and are therefore partly responsible for Albion Pond’s poor condition. 

Kaylee’s dedication to Albion Pond inspires Trey to pursue more honest aims in life. After growing up amongst the rich, elite “marks” that his dad has always targeted, Trey is amazed by Kaylee’s determination to make positive changes and create a better future. Since she has not had things handed to her because of her status, Kaylee understands that she must fight for her cause if she wants to win, and she does not back down, even when powerful obstacles stand in her way. Her refusal to give in to external pressures shows Trey what is possible when people embrace the best aspects of themselves.

Arianna acts as a foil for Trey by embracing their father’s worldview while Trey ultimately rejects it. Arianna sees her dad as a hero and feels no remorse over his schemes because she believes that he takes from people who don’t deserve to have such abundant wealth. As the novel unfolds, Arianna gives in to her jealousy for Trey’s status as a “partner” to their father, and she devises her own petty grifts in a misguided effort to prove herself. Arianna feels that she is a better con artist than Trey because she is more dedicated to their family’s lifestyle and often takes risks when Trey won’t. 

In reality, however, Arianna is still very young and idealizes the grifting lifestyle, not realizing the real-world implications of her father’s crimes. Because she focuses on the rewards of grifting rather than the consequences, she comes up with risky plans like forging checks and sending Trey a series of rash, threatening emails. When she initially sends the emails, she wants to teach Trey a lesson and prove that she too is worthy of being a full partner in her family’s operation. She even proves her ruthlessness when she turns the tables on Trey, and it is clear that she has no scruples about crossing social and ethical boundaries to get her way. Her lingering tendency to rely upon trickery, even after her father and brother renounce their confidence schemes, suggests that her unscrupulous upbringing has irreversibly damaged her worldview.