Chapter Twenty-three & Twenty-four

In these two chapters Matt hikes up a mountain in the Rocky River Creek Park. He doesn’t take his dog “Pumpkin” with him because he feels sad and he has to be alone.

Matt is extremely desperate, because he’s got nothing to live for. He thinks that all people who are nice to him only take pity on him. No one can behave like before. “Matt Donaghy doesn’t want our charity (p. 145, ll. 14-15).”

He feels like never before, since he was beaten up by the seniors. “No one had ever hit Matt like that. So deliberately, purposefully. Wanting to hurt him. Really wanting to hurt him. (p. 145, ll. 19-20)”

It’s clear that Matt wants to commit suicide. “I love it here. I could die here … and be happy. (p. 146, l. 10)” He considers to jump in one of the ravines, so it couldn’t be proved that it was suicide, maybe he only fell down or he might get lost in a snowstorm.

Matt’s thoughts about his beloved dog also confirm my opinion of his suicide. “Pumpkin would miss Matt. If he failed to return. Matt felt a stab of guilt. (p. 147, ll. 18-19)”

But finally, fortunately, Matt decides not to jump down that gap to end his life. “Still, he determined. He wasn’t going to give up. (p. 148, l. 12)” And then also Ursula Riggs appeared. Now he couldn’t kill himself without having a witness. He would always be the guy who committed suicide, forever!