65 pages • 2 hours read
Catherine Ryan HydePay It Forward
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1999A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Commutability of Humanity
Although society often stresses the importance of rugged individualism, Pay It Forward stresses the importance of human similarity in the face of apparent differences. One of the ways the book demonstrates the commonality of humankind is through the problems that arise out of individualism. In Reuben’s case, he routinely sees how different he is in comparison to other characters: he is one of the few, if not the only, black characters living in Atascadero, and he is badly disfigured. In order to counteract what he assumes are people’s negative reactions to his differences in appearance, Reuben isolates himself. This isolation demonstrates the emotional toil that can arise as a result of eschewing connection and community.
However, it is only when Reuben recognizes himself in other characters that he begins to change from a selfish curmudgeon into a productive member of society:“He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen himself in someone else. It changed him, this simple observation, like being jostled off the edge of a tall building, causing him to wonder if it was too late to get his old isolation back” (89). At first, this realization terrifies Reuben; he finds isolation, although it is emotionally painful, to be easier than recognizing human commutability. Throughout the novel, characters (including Reuben) see themselves as reflections of other people, indicating the similarities can erase isolation brought on by trauma.
One of the commonalities that the characters, including Reuben, learn about is the commutability of human frailty. Trevor is able to see this aspect of humanity right off the bat. Every person he finds seems to remind Trevor of someone else. In Jerry, he sees his own father, and he believes that Arlene dislikes Jerry because Jerry reminds her of Ricky’s failures. In fact, Trevor’s idea capitalizes on this human fallibility via the belief that humans are unable to provide for themselves on their own, positing that “Everybody needs something” (169).
Unlike the other characters, who view only the differences between themselves and other people, Trevor understands the fundamental humanity of all individuals. He capitalizes on this ability to empathize through Pay It Forward, which, more than anything, is an exercise in empathy. In order to understand what a person needs and accomplish that goal, one must first see the similarities between that person and oneself; one must empathize with the other individual. By the end of the novel, the world is strengthened by this belief in human commonality, as thousands come together to commit themselves to carrying on Pay It Forward in Trevor’s memory.
The Importance of Perseverance
Throughout the novel, Trevor embodies perseverance. He never gives up on his dream of making the world a better place, no matter the setbacks. While this perseverance ultimately results in his death, it also changes the world for the better. In order to persevere, Trevor must also fail, as overcoming adversity is paramount to perseverance. Reuben encapsulates this idea: “We all want to chance the world, and sometimes we need to learn it’s harder than we think” (89). Reuben suggests that it is the effort and intent in the face of a difficult project which indicate perseverance. He also advises that civic responsibility is difficult, and changing the world is an ongoing process.
Trevor takes Reuben’s wisdom to heart, stubbornly deciding that he will start anew as he believes his previous attempts at Pay It Forward were fairly unsuccessful, saying, “‘Well, I’m not quite sure how good an idea that was. Anyway, I’m gonna come up with three more people. You know. Start over’” (118). In this way, Trevor embodies perseverance. Even though he believes his project has failed, the reader already knows that in some small ways, his attempts have been successful: Mrs. Greenberg has helped Terri, Matt, and the cat lady, and Jerry has helped Charlotte. Regardless, Trevor decides to persist, as he sees his project as being too important to fail. In the face of devastating criticism, Trevor triumphs through his stubborn and often fairly-naïve persistence.
Integral to persistence is the hard work it entails. The book suggests that one must put in the work if one wants to see a result. Reuben is amazed at how much time and energy Trevor has put into this project:“‘If you could have seen how hard he worked. He put over a hundred dollars of his own money into that homeless man, and more than thirty hours on that old woman’s garden’” (120-1). This leads the audience to believe that part of the reason Trevor’s project is successful is because he devotes himself fully to seeing his idea through. He doesn’t do just the bare minimum to help someone, but rather does everything he can in order to assure the idea’s success. When Trevor gives his money to Jerry, he gives him all of his money. When Trevor gives his time and to Mrs. Greenberg, he gives her all of his free time: nights, weekends, mornings before school. This hard work and dedication represents an important facet of perseverance: not only does Trevor persevere in the face of failure, but he also perseveres in the face of himself. In essence, Trevor is able to be successful because he loses himself in his project, effectively deflating individual ego. He becomes merely a mechanism by which his project can be achieved, more or less disregarding every other aspect of his existence.
The Importance of Perception
The novel’s characters, with the exception of Trevor, are obsessed with perception. They are constantly worried about how they appear towards the other characters in the novel, and how the other characters perceive them. Specifically, Reuben and Arlene base many of their own actions upon their assumptions regarding other characters. Often, both Arlene and Reuben assume the worst in other characters; additionally, these assumptions color their interpersonal relationship: “He acted defensive toward her because he assumed she found him ugly. She acted defensive toward him because she assumed he found her stupid” (89). In order to counteract their assumed perception of each other, Arlene and Reuben both don disguises so that they may hide their various insecurities.
Although the book illustrates the detrimental aspects of negative perception, perception is also important as a positive force throughout the novel. Part of the reason Trevor’s idea is so successful is because he is able to so easily perceive other people’s needs. Although Trevor himself is not concerned with what people think of him, he astutely identifies the particular needs of various individuals based on sight alone. This kind of perception is so natural to Trevor that he has a hard time explaining it. He tells Reuben: “’You don’t think it up with imagination. You just look around. Until you see somebody who needs something”’ (169).
Although other people perceive Trevor as unremarkable, he is remarkable in his ability to perceive the needs of others. Empathizing with other people seems second nature to him: he easily identifies the needs of other people when everyone else around him seems blind. Even Reuben, for how intelligent he is, has terrible social perception in this manner. In fact, Reuben and Arlene are both so caught up in how other people perceive them that they are unable to perceive other people correctly. By contrast, Trevor is able to accurately perceive the commonality of all humanity, which leads to the success of Pay It Forward.
