Teens are starting to figure out who they are or who they want to be. In the book Runner by Carl Deuker, a boy named Chance gets involved with drug dealers and becomes courier for strange packages. Chance’s daily life consists of dealing with an alcoholic father and other ‘normal’ struggles teens face. Chance struggles to figure out his identity and future while battling with his current conflicts.
Chance has to battle with his current conflicts, which are both ‘normal’ and abnormal. For example, Chance threatens to go the police and his local ‘boss’ reacts: “His eyes darkened chillingly. ‘Listen and listen good. This isn’t some high school poker game you’re involved with. If the wrong people head you talk about the police, we both end up in body bags. Understand?’” Chance becomes a courier for strange packages containing unknown items. He is in way over his head, and deals with the constant presence of guilt and fear of being caught (by police) or hurt (by the people). Another example is, Chance’s father gets fired from all the unsteady jobs he tries to hold. So it was not uncommon for money to be really tight before Chance got his courier job. Finally, Chance’s father has a drinking problem, so Chance deals with being on his own a lot while his dad is out drinking. Chance has many conflicts that he has to deal with constantly.
In addition to dealing with conflicts, Chance struggles to figure out who he wants to be. For example, Chance realizes he does not exactly know what he wants to do with his life, or his future. “...though I didn’t know what I’d even study at college if I ever got there.” Although it may appear that Chance is thinking about college, the reality is he is a senior so his school has Career Days and the idea of college is always buzzing around. Another example is, “Melissa, Thomas, Annie, Natasha- all of them were moving on with their live. They were heading to college; the world was getting larger for them. Where was I going? What was I going to do?” This shows that Chance has not really given his future a lot of thought, and is getting smacked with reality; that life goes on after high school and eventually he will be there. Chance is lost when it comes to thinking of his future.
However, Chance is forced to grow up and make an independent decision. For example, after his father died, Chance was left alone, crashing with a family friend. They were nurturing and supportive, pretty much the opposite of what Chance was used to. So when they nudge him to consider moving in full time with them, he snaps and pushes himself to truly decide on what he wants to do. “In a few minutes I’ll have to tell them. After that, I’ll go to the bus stop and take the number 75 out to Northgate and enlist in the army.” Another example is, Chance finally says it: “One thing I’m sure of- I am going somewhere someday.” Chance is forced to grow up because of a tragic event, but he is able to make a decision about his future.
Chance struggles to figure out his identity and future while battling with his current conflicts. I admire how Chance made a decision without the guidance of adults because growing up is a hard thing to do by yourself. Not only was Chance on his own while his father was out drinking, but he lost his father because of his ‘job’. And yet he was still strong enough to decide on something as crucial as enlisting in the army by himself!
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