The power of Crutcher's stories lies in his vivid development of the characters and the lively dialogue which includes a great deal of humor and smart-aleck remarks. Dan's scholarly attitude is revealed through his polysyllabic conversation with T. J., but his pent-up anger is reflected when Dan gets three days of in-school suspension for giving the crowd a "double middledigit salute." The realistic interactions of the adolescents include conversations full of sarcasm, sexual references, slang, and mild profanity. T. J. emphasizes the ridiculous importance placed on the Cutter letter jacket by referring to it as the "Shroud of Turin" while his personal hatred for Barbour is shown when T. J. tells Barbour he has been "peed into the athletic gene pool."

The description of Chris's face as he watches Andy Mott remove his artificial leg reflects Chris's simple-mindedness as well as providing humor. The reader feels...