46 pages • 1-hour read
Popcorn
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Symbols & Motifs
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying, mental illness, and illness.
Popcorn
Popcorn represents Andrew’s anxiety disorders. This symbol gives the novel its title and shows the protagonist’s creativity, a key personality trait he uses to cope with his mental health conditions. Andrew compares living with anxiety to being a kernel of corn in “a pan full of slippery oil” (73), and the moment the mounting internal pressure makes the kernel pop symbolizes a panic attack. The symbol of popcorn contributes to the novel’s suspense and structure by signaling the approach and arrival of the story’s climax. For instance, the frightened Andrew notes that he’s “edging closer to that last notch on the Kernel Scale” when he needs to use the eye wash station in Chapter 14 (188). In Chapter 16, Harrell uses the symbol to make it clear that Andrew is beginning to have a panic attack after seeing his reflection in the art room’s mirror: “My kernel is popping” (210). In the final chapter, popcorn symbolism contributes to the story’s message of resilience: “My kernel popped today. It exploded. It was the worst thing in the world that I could imagine, and I survived” (259). The presentation of this symbol ends on a triumphant note, reinforcing the happy ending and the protagonist’s growth.
Andrew’s School Picture
At the start of the story, Andrew’s school picture represents the Yaeger family’s aspirations for their future. Andrew and Susan want the photograph to capture the ease, prosperity, and calm that have been lacking in their lives, all things they hope to attain with her new job. Subconsciously, the boy and his mother seem to believe that a perfect photo would provide proof that the family’s circumstances will improve: “YOU are gonna go get the best school picture of your life. Your sixth-grade photo looked like you were kidnapped or raised by wolves or something. But not this year, my well-put- together friend” (8). The great importance that Susan places on the photograph is made clear by the fact that she can rarely afford new clothes for Andrew but buys him a shirt for picture day: “It was from Banana Republic! (I gathered from her going on that that means it wasn’t cheap and it’s super nice.) She’d splurged and felt really good about it” (64). As the novel progresses, the photograph’s symbolic weight contributes to the pressure and anxiety Andrew feels as the mishaps at school eliminate any chance at taking a pristine, aspirational photo, such as the tears and stains that mar his new shirt. At first, the school picture symbolizes a “picture-perfect” vision of Andrew’s life that his reality cannot match.
At the end of the story, the photograph evolves into a motif of self-acceptance and resilience as well as the role of art and humor in coping with mental health challenges. After spending much of the novel fretting over how he will look in the picture, Andrew declines his mother and the principal’s invitations to postpone the photo and declares, “You know what? I’ve never been more sure of anything. Let’s do this” (268). This act of self-acceptance cements his dynamic growth. In addition, the picture advances the theme of art and humor because Andrew gives the photographer “the biggest, goofiest grin [he] can manage” (269), making the picture a piece of art and a coping mechanism similar to his comics. Through the photograph’s shifting meaning, Harrell illustrates how Andrew grows from demanding perfection of himself to celebrating the resilience that allows him to endure his disastrous school picture day.
The Anxiety Files
Andrew’s Anxiety Files serve as a motif of The Role of Humor and Art in Coping with Mental Health Challenges. He begins creating the comics after Dr. Cain gives him a sketchbook and encourages him to use his creativity as a coping mechanism: “I want you to write and draw in this book. About your anxiety, about how it feels” (102). Although the Anxiety Files showcase Andrew’s distinctive comedic voice, their overall goal is authenticity rather than hilarity: “[They] aren’t always funny. I’ll settle for funny-ish. Or at the very least, honest” (104). The comics about Tense Kid are autobiographical, allowing Andrew to show the reader more of his inner experiences. For example, the 14th Anxiety File, which appears at the end of Chapter 18, compares Tense Kid’s brain to cooked noodles and french fries. At this point in the story, Andrew is both physically and emotionally drained after his panic attack, but he still finds humor in this difficult situation. The Anxiety Files interspersed throughout the novel grant deeply personal glimpses into Andrew’s experiences with anxiety and OCD while showcasing the ways the clever, creative protagonist uses art and humor to cope with these challenges.
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