Four Eyes

Nonfiction | Graphic Memoir | Middle Grade | Published in 2023

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Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Key Figures

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Symbols & Motifs

Glasses

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying.

As the central symbol in Four Eyes, glasses lay the foundation for Rex’s experiences of conflict and growth throughout his first year of middle school. Before Rex ever gets glasses of his own, he sees Victor making fun of Scott for wearing them, which only adds to the dread he experiences when he finds out he needs his own pair. Rex spends days struggling to read the board or see the television before he admits that he might need vision correction. A great deal of the plot depicts Rex’s experience of going to the optometrist and frame store for the first time, including montages of him trying on all sorts of different glasses and personalities. It’s clear that Rex perceives each pair of glasses as being associated with a certain type of person, and he wants to find the pair that suits him best. Unfortunately, Rex’s mother can’t afford the pair he likes, and he’s stuck with plain brown ones instead.

When Rex wears his glasses to school, students in every class and during lunch hour constantly bully or question him. People stereotype Rex for having glasses and single him out. One boy even gets angry at Rex for not helping him cheat: “I thought people who wear glasses are supposed to be smart. Thanks for nothing!” (100). After days of this, Rex decides to stop wearing his glasses, which only leads to failed tests and dangerous situations. Scott is the first person who doesn’t seem to care that Rex wears glasses, and this is largely because Scott knows what it’s like to be bullied for it.

When Rex’s glasses break and he finally gets the pair he wanted, he feels better and more confident. His abuela helps him see that being bullied for having glasses isn’t as bad as not being able to see. She reveals wisdom that stretches back to her own childhood, and it changes Rex’s perspective: “My life is hard, but it isn’t that hard. … I always thought she could barely see ‘cause her glasses are so thick. Turns out she can see the whole world a lot better than most” (185). Rex receives additional affirmation from his younger brother, who thinks Rex’s glasses are awesome and wants a pair of his own. He even finds out that Kennedy, a girl in his school, thinks he’s cute (glasses and all). When Rex reflects back on the year, he sees that his appearance hasn’t really changed much, but getting glasses did change the person inside.

Money

A central motif in Four Eyes is money. Money demonstrates both Rex’s thematic journey toward Learning to Be Grateful as well as the thematic importance of Accepting One’s Family. Much of Rex’s home life revolves around the lack of money, which especially affects Rex, his mother, and their relationship. The memoir depicts Rex at the end of his first week of middle school trying to get money from his abuela and father, which already hints at the fact that he feels like he doesn’t get enough. Rex carries this attitude with him for months, and getting cheap brown glasses only makes it worse. He gets angry with his mother for not being able to afford better ones, rather than being grateful that he can get glasses at all. When the first pair breaks, Rex experiences the wrath of his biological father when he calls him to ask for money to buy a new pair.

Rex’s mother is always working late to earn a few extra dollars, and Abuela is always trying to help. This creates tension in the family, since Rex’s mother sees her own mother’s assistance as a sign that she isn’t doing enough. She feels inadequate, as she explains to Rex one night after an argument: “Sam and I both work hard, but lawn care and waiting tables don’t pay a lot. We barely earn enough to make ends meet. I wish I could buy you the world, but I can’t” (55). After having a heart-to-heart with his abuela, Rex realizes that he has a lot to be grateful for and that his family does the best they can. He accepts them as they are, and accepts his situation, because he comes to understand that it could be so much worse: “I have a lot to be grateful for” (185).

Comics and Science Fiction

Another of the memoir’s motifs is comics and sci-fi, which initially single out Rex and separate him from Drew but also eventually draw Rex closer to Scott, who becomes his new closest friend. Without even realizing it, Rex thematically demonstrates Rising Above Negative Judgment the first time Victor makes fun of comic books and sci-fi. This happens on the second day of school when Victor spots Scott nearby, wearing glasses and reading comics. Victor attempts to shame others for anything he can think of. When Rex stands up to Victor and explains that he too likes these things, and nothing is wrong with it, Victor targets him instead.

Drew doesn’t stand up for Rex either; in fact, he lies and says he doesn’t like sci-fi and didn’t watch Back to the Future with Rex recently. Hearing Drew betray him in this way hurts Rex and permanently damages their friendship. Scott and Rex relate over their shared love of comics and sci-fi; they discuss superheroes and villains and attend a Star Wars showing together. Scott reaffirms Rex’s identity and helps remind him that he can be different from the majority and still be accepted. What exemplifies the difference between Scott and Drew, and their approach to the idea of conformity and popularity, is how they handle this issue.