Pop

Pop largely centers around the experience of teenagers dealing with adult caregiving responsibilities. Charlie’s CTE means that he can no longer serve as a reliable caretaker to his children and instead requires the kind of care and supervision that a typical teenager would need. This situation presents significant emotional challenges for Charlie himself and for all the people in his life. In very different ways, Marcus and Chelsea become Charlie’s primary caretakers, and the novel explores how this responsibility shapes their own developing personalities, both suppressing and cultivating their capacities for empathy.

As Charlie’s daughter, Chelsea lives with the daily reality of her father’s condition. Chelsea’s mother is often in denial about the severity of Charlie’s condition, forcing Chelsea to step up if she wants her dad to get help. Chelsea’s decision to do so thrusts her into the position of primary caregiver. Because she wants her dad to be happy and safe, she puts Charlie’s needs before her own. As a result, Chelsea feels trapped under the weight of the illness but also guilty when she isn’t always successful at the job she’s given herself, such as when she loses track of Charlie in Chapter 11.