Overcoming Homophobia

One of the primary themes in the novel is the effort to overcome homophobia, which manifests in the growth of Ike’s and Buddy Lee’s understanding and acceptance of homosexuality. Ike and Buddy Lee both struggled to accept their sons’ sexuality, which resulted in fractured relationships. They both hoped to overcome this, though. Ike reflects upon how “he’d always thought that he and Isiah would come to an understanding. He just assumed time would thaw the glacier between them” (16). Buddy similarly thinks, “I never wanted to stop loving Derek. I just wanted him to be normal” (204). Both fathers clearly wanted a healthy relationship with their sons, but could not overcome their intolerance of homosexuality while Derek and Isiah were alive.

As the investigation progresses, Ike and Buddy Lee begin to overcome their intolerance. They thus reconcile with the memory of their sons by...