Oscar is Brave. When even
Al and
Miggs get girlfriends during their senior year,
Oscar is struck by uncontrollable jealousy. He cannot understand why they have more luck than he has, when Al and Miggs are just as socially inept and unattractive. When he asks them if their girlfriends could find him a friend as well, Al and Migg’s lukewarm response makes Oscar realize that they are embarrassed of him. He starts to see himself as a “Morlock” (a creature from the book
The Time Machine) rather than a human. Oscar redoubles his attempts to change, dieting and acting the part of the macho Dominican, but he is not successful.