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Chapter 32
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Demon Copperhead, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Exploitation
Class, Social Hierarchy, and Stereotypes
Pain and Addiction
Toxic Masculinity
Community and Belonging
Summary
Analysis
Demon rises through the social ranks at Jonesville Middle and becomes popular with all kinds of different friends, but things seem too good to be true, and he keeps waiting for his luck to change. He feels like he’s still a “jack-shit homeless orphan, just faking it in nice clothes.” He also knows what people are like—sooner or later, they’ll either turn against you or die. One night, U-Haul corners Demon and accuses him of being self-important. He tells Demon that he better not get too comfortable and that he’ll never really be part of Coach’s family.
When Demon becomes popular at Jonesville Middle, he suffers from imposter syndrome, suggesting he has internalized the bullying and poor treatment he received at his last school and believes those people saw his “true” self. While Demon may feel imposter syndrome, the novel suggests a more trenchant critique of how socioeconomic status functions in the U.S. by showing that the same person is treated completely differently depending on little more than what clothes they wear.
Themes
Mr. Armstrong is a seventh and eighth grade English teacher, but he substitute teaches for Demon’s sixth grade class a lot because their teacher is out with shingles. He first came to Lee County from Chicago as a Vista, then met his wife, who was another Vista. Demon first heard about his wife, Ms. Annie, because some people in town don’t approve of their marriage because she’s white and he’s Black. Ms. Annie is an art teacher at Lee High, and, after Mr. Armstrong shows her some of Demon’s drawings, she comes to talk to him. She says he has a natural talent and offers to work with him at the high school art studio when he wants.
Vista is an anti-poverty program conceived as a domestic version of the Peace Corps. It now operates under the larger organization of AmeriCorps. In contrast to others who aim to exploit the people of Appalachia under the guise of supposed good intentions, both Mr. Armstrong and Ms. Annie seem to genuinely want to help other people, including Demon. In this passage, the novel also addresses the racism that is present in the region but seems to attribute that racism only to a few people with ignorant views rather than a symptom of widespread, systemic racism.
Themes
Betsy comes to visit that winter to transfer paperwork. If she approves of how Demon is doing with Coach, then they’ll go to the DSS office together to make Coach Demon’s legal guardian. She’s satisfied with her visit and says that if Demon keeps at it, everything will be okay. She comes with Jane Ellen and Mr. Dick every few months after that, which means they clean the house more often. With the house tidier, Demon and Angus start inviting friends over more. Demon also starts going to football camp during the summer. By fall, he’s wearing his jersey to school. In a year, he’ll be playing for Coach.
The novel shows just how much Demon’s life is changing due to the positive environment at the Winfields’ house. His home situation has become much more stable, and as a result he’s become popular at school, invites friends home, and begins playing football.
Themes
