Teenage Wasteland

A former fourth-grade teacher, Daisy Coble is now a homemaker who has dedicated her life to being a mother for her children. Daisy’s perspective colors the narrative because of Tyler’s decision to use limited omniscient third-person point of view through Daisy’s eyes. Daisy occupies a central role in the narrative, but she changes little over the course of the narrative.

At the start of the story, Daisy is an exasperated mother who feels embarrassed when her son’s school calls to say he has been misbehaving. During the conference with the principal, Daisy expresses that she and her husband are failures who have never measured up to her notions of what a successful couple looks like. This inadequacy comes into play as she seeks help for her son’s behavioral and academic troubles. She cedes control over parenting decisions first to a psychologist and then to Cal.

Daisy frequently changes course when confronted with any authority. When Donny’s history teacher insists that it is time for Daisy to resume overseeing Donny’s homework, for example, Daisy is so susceptible to authority that she agrees to return to guiding Donny.