Surviving the Applewhites

Jake Semple is the protagonist and co-narrator of the novel alongside E.D. Applewhite. As an outsider thrust into the eccentric world of the Applewhites, Jake undergoes a profound journey of Personal Growth and Transformation, encapsulating a coming-of-age narrative arc.

At the beginning of the novel, Jake is a stereotypical rebellious teenager. At 13, he is already prone to swearing and smoking. He faces the threat of juvenile detention after being expelled from numerous schools. His reputation precedes him—according to rumors, he burned down the last school he attended. Jake finds solace in this “bad kid” persona, admitting that “living up to that label was what [he] did best” (40). His appearance reinforces this image—he is characterized by his “scarlet spiked hair, a silver ring through one dark brown eyebrow, and too many earrings to count” (7). He exclusively wears black clothes, occasionally accessorized with a spiked collar. His appearance elicits prejudice from others, including E.D., who labels him a delinquent and wants to keep her distance. However, it soon becomes apparent that Jake’s appearance and behavior are only a mask. Jake didn’t actually burn down his school, yet he fabricates a story involving a lighter and a bottle of gasoline to maintain his façade.