Part 4- Pages 144-178

Plot

Part four begins with several headlines revealing Josh. Josh Swensen apparently died that day without knowing it. At first the media attention was good- meeting Bono, not having to worry about secrecy. But then things started turning for the worse. To use his own words, Larry became a product. Even at home things turned sour. Peter yelled at him for using his information to conrol millions, insulting his father, threatening to move. Peter is out of control (pgs. 151-155). Josh talks about Beth totally ignoring him, until one day he sneaks into the store. He helps her do inventory, and Beth wonders how she could have failed to see it. Josh then retires to his hideout in the woods (pgs 156-159). In a short amount of time, books on Josh were out, the website had been closed down, and companies were approaching Josh to endorse their products. His life is being consumed (pgs 160-162). Josh meets Beth at the cemetery, and she tells him that she is going to Seattle. They bicker, and then Josh learns that she had feelings for him as much as he had for her. She then leaves, and Josh is left saring at a banner for a company who had not asked for endorsement but went ahead anyway (pgs 163-168). Josh can no longer even leave the house for fear of assault by the media. Josh is stuck watching analyzations of himself. When the mailman comes to deliver the five bags of post, they switch outfits and Josh leaves and goes to Bloomingdale’s. Josh’s mother offers suicide, and Josh realizes that the connection is gone (pgs. 169-172). Several signs are telling Josh that his mother had given him good advice - the tarot card with death, the photos of the cemetery. He left on his bike for Sagamore bridge to see what it would be like to jump. He realizes he couldn’t do it (pgs 173-175). However, when playing with Greek word roots the next day, he chances upon a combination that might make sense in his life - pseudocide, to pretend to kill yourself. He gets onto his computer and starts planning (pgs 176-178).

Characters
Josh/Larry - Is suffocating under the media tidal wave and needs a break, but is unable to find one.
Beth - Has had feelings for Josh since ninth grade. Can’t stand living next to him anymore, and leaves for Washington.
Peter - Is losing everything he had - his stepson, his business.
betagold - Is getting tons of cash and positive attention for outing Josh.
Theme
Abandonment - Josh is being torn from everything that is him - life, family, friends, even his alter ego.
Symbol
Media, and the effect it can have on people’s life. Embrace it or be destroyed by it, there’s no ignoring it once the spotlight’s on you.
Settings
Josh’s house, the hardware store, the cemetery, Sagamore bridge.
Quotes
She concentrated on a patch of moss near the tombstone. “Just since ninth grade.” - Beth on the time she’s had feelings for Josh.
“Pseudocide. A way to start agaom as someone else, to burn the old self and try on a new one.” - Josh contemplating pseudocide.