Specific quotes from Mexican Whiteboy that reveal Danny's character traits explore the difficulties in his life.
Danny is destabilized with his father's absence. As a result, Danny is forced to stay with his mother. This exacerbates his tension about being biracial. His emotional stress is conveyed through cutting, a self-harm practice:
He digs into his wrist some more with his nails. Breaks previously broken skin and pulls away. A smear of blood he wipes away with his other hand, rubs off across his dark jeans. Back home his mom is always on him to stop digging, but that only makes him want to dig more.
Danny's cutting shows the confusion he experiences. As the novel opens, he is not in a good or safe place. His self-harm shows this. The fact that he pierces his skin deeper after his mother tells him not to shows his angst.
Danny struggles to find contentment. However, his visit to Mexico represents a chance to connect with a part of his past. Connecting with people of similar ethnicity helps him better understand this aspect of his identity. At the same time, given how his father was Latino, Danny is able to feel closer to someone absent from his life. Danny's movement towards self-discovery is an important moment: "I came here because sometimes I feel like a fake Mexican. And I don't want to be a fake. I wanna be real." Danny's desire to "be real" is an important part of his character development. It shows how he seeks contentment and emotional balance in his life.
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