Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes contains a colorful cast of characters whose lives are intertwined through personal pain. Sarah Byrnes is aptly named: when she was three her face and hands were severely burned and her overbearing father refused to offer her reconstructive surgery. The emotional scars on her character are as glaring as her physical ones; Sarah must hide behind a tough exterior that shields her from the cruelty of an image-driven society. She shares her world with Eric "Moby" Calhoun, whose nickname refers to his excessive girth.

The two of them bond over their common problem: the "terminal uglies," as they jokingly refer to themselves. Author Chris Crutcher holds nothing back as he describes their friendship and their dealings with their peers and families. The writing style is punchy, driven by dark humor and touching descriptions of the main characters. Geared toward young adults, Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is a mature novel that inspires readers and deftly conveys the struggles of adolescence.

Told in first person from the perspective of Moby, the novel traces the friendship between him and the titular character as they develop steely strength and resolve. Sarah is a piquant girl who doesn't take any crap, even from her best friend. Early in the novel, her and Eric encounter a school bully who wants to take their money; Sarah throws more than a few punches with her scarred fists and tells big Dale Thornton, "When I'm dead you'll get my money," (19).

She proceeds to chastise Moby for acting like a wimp and thus the two teens struggle to maintain their personal dignity in spite of their below-average, too-easily ridiculed appearances. Because Sarah and Eric are united by their "terminal uglies," any threat to the status quo could be disastrous to their friendship. The key conflict of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes is summed up in the title of the book. Eric joins the school swimming team and the exercise does his figure good.

In fact, Eric begins to make new friends because of his improved physique; suddenly his and Sarah's insular world becomes threatened. In a display of the limitless love of their friendship, Eric takes extreme measures to ensure that he won't lose Sarah or upset her. Eric, aware that losing weight is what can potentially undermine the sacred and solid bond he shares with Sarah, gorges himself silly so that he can "stay fat for Sarah Byrnes." When she finds out, Sarah freaks out.

In spite of her terror at the thought of losing her only friend, Sarah deals with her fear by intensifying the psychic barrier that separates her from the rest of the world. She mutes herself, refuses to speak in class or to anyone. Just as she hated to watch Eric.