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57 pages 1 hour read

Jerry Spinelli

Loser

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2002

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Character Analysis

Donald Zinkoff

Donald Zinkoff loves life and does everything with enthusiasm. He laughs uncontrollably at silly words—tintinnabulation, snickerdoodle, Jabip—and is generous toward others because he believes it will make them happy. He can be snippy at times, especially when he gets deeply involved in a project and someone tries to pull him away from it. Usually, though, he cooperates in his eccentric way. Donald loves to eat, but he throws up several times a week because he was born with an inverted stomach valve. The doctors finally fix that, but no one can fix his clumsy sloppiness and general incompetence. Donald finally comes to terms with his goofiness and stops trying to impress others or win their friendship. Instead, he simply loves the adventure of life and continues to share his enthusiasm and kindness with others.

Mrs. Zinkoff

Endlessly patient and loving toward her son, Mrs. Zinkoff awards him with stick-on silver stars for good days and tolerates his kitchen experiments. She is also capable of disciplining Donald, sending him to bed if he laughs continuously during dinner. She doesn’t quite understand her son—nobody does, not even Donald—but her love and patience helps him thrive despite his oddball behavior.

Mr. Zinkoff

Mr. Zinkoff is a mailman; he doesn’t make much money, so he buys used cars that tend to break down. He calls his son Chickamoo, Boogaloo, or Kinkachoo because it makes Donald laugh. Mr. Zinkoff loves his son and goes out of his way to encourage his growth as a person. He helps Donald perform a pretend mail delivery as his way of supporting “Take Your Kid to Work Day” (60). During Donald’s darkest times, as when he gets called a “loser” by the other students, Mr. Zinkoff is there for him. Donald realizes that his dad will love him no matter what.

Andrew Orwell

Donald’s new neighbor Andrew is his own age. Donald automatically takes him on as a friend, but Andrew tends to be spoiled and grumpy. He gives Andrew a giant cookie, but Andrew has a tantrum when it falls apart. Donald accidentally makes the goal that wins his Peewee soccer team the championship against Andrew’s team, and Andrew sulks until Donald gives him his own trophy. Andrew believes Donald’s father, a mailman, is inferior to his own father who works at a bank. Andrew symbolizes the type of kid who grows up overly competitive, selfish, and grasping, in contrast to Donald’s innocent generosity.

Hector Binns

In fifth grade, Donald decides he needs a best friend, so he chooses Hector Binns, a boy who chews licorice, collects his own ear wax, and tends to be a loner. They become friends and spend lots of time together until Hector tires of the friendship and backs away. Hector represents the futility of Donald’s attempts to make friends, even with other oddballs.

Claudia

A toddler on a leash, Claudia meets Donald in front of her house with her mom, and the two children strike up an odd friendship marked by her gifts to him of used chewing gum. Those bits solidify in Donald’s pocket to become a hard, smooth rock that Donald uses as a good luck charm. When Claudia disappears, Donald searches futilely for her and nearly dies of exposure, but he keeps the bubblegum rock in his mouth and is rescued. Claudia thanks him by planting a dozen kisses on him.

Gary Hobin

The best athlete at Satterfield Elementary, Gary Hobin would win more awards, but Donald stands in his way. In fourth grade, Hobin must run with Donald on his relay team at Field Day. Although he gives Donald a tremendous lead, Donald squanders it with his slow, inept running, and the team loses its chance for the championship. In fifth grade, Hobin and Donald again are matched, and Hobin frankly tells Donald to get lost. No one else wants him either, so Donald ditches fifth grade Field Day. This time, Hobin’s team wins. The next year, in middle school, Donald is still trying, offering to play touch football with Hobin, but Hobin won’t have anything to do with him.

Miss Meeks

A year from retirement, Miss Meeks is Donald’s first grade teacher. She likes the boy’s cheerful enthusiasm for school but strains to deal with his uncontrollable behavior. Given his eccentric ways, Donald is lucky to have her as his first teacher, especially since his second-grade teacher, Mrs. Biswell, despises him.

Mr. Yalowitz

Donald’s fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Yalowitz, takes a liking to the boy. He puts Donald in the front row, features him in comments and compliments, and tolerates his terrible handwriting. Mr. Yalowitz champions Donald to the point of making him the anchor runner in a relay race; Donald is so slow, however, that the team goes from first place to losing the championship. Both Mr. Yalowitz and Donald mean well, but their efforts blow up in their faces. After Miss Meeks, Mr. Yalowitz is Donald’s favorite teacher. He’s also the outside force that causes other students finally to notice Donald, though what they see is his clumsy incompetence. Still, Mr. Yalowitz’s encouraging behavior toward Donald helps him greatly.

Mrs. Biswell

Mrs. Biswell is Donald’s second-grade teacher. She doesn’t really like children, and she especially dislikes Donald for his disorderly laughter, sloppiness, and bad penmanship. One day, he vomits on her favorite chalkboard eraser, and she orders him to leave the class and never return. The principal scolds her and tells Mrs. Zinkoff that her boy is of course welcome back. Mrs. Biswell buys a yellow bucket for Donald to throw up into, but he never uses it that way, instead using it to keep his collection of rocks and colored glass.

Mrs. Shankfelder

Mrs. Shankfelder is Donald’s fifth-grade teacher. She administers a psychological test that requires Donald to write out the name of his best friend. This launches Donald on a quest to find a best friend.

Uncle Stanley

Donald’s Uncle Stanley visits from time to time and is at the house when Donald wakes up after his freezing late-night search for Claudia. Stanley’s always a cheerful, optimistic presence in Donald’s life, and he treats Donald like an interesting, likable person.

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