The English teacher had told Adam about a special program at the University of Michigan and recommended him. He’s kicked out of the house and lives with Bronwyn. Viktor finds the letters he had been writing and a poem he was working on. Adam has anger spells which make him think he doesn’t deserve Jonathan. Jonathan and Adam fall for each other and become boyfriends. He only steps in when Bronwyn, Shayna’s friend, confesses everything because she doesn’t want Shayna to go down a bad path. She goes to Axel’s bar (where her mother used to work) which Lyle doesn’t approve of. She has stopped caring about her grades and wants to sing more. Jonathan’s mother died long ago (he learns at the end of the book that she had overdosed on drugs, it hadn’t been a traffic accident like how Lyle had said). Jonathan’s father Lyle plays in a band and gives music lessons. Viktor abuses Adam who accepts the beating so his mother won’t have to suffer. Mark enlisted in the military and came back a changed man.

When Adam’s father died, Sylvan dropped everything and helped the family. Adam has two older brothers Sylvan and Mark. He dresses like Walt Whitman and is obsessed with Whitman’s poetry. Jonathan is openly gay and bullied at school. He also quits the football team (later, we’re told this was because he refused for anyone to see the injuries he had on his back). Jonathan Hopkirk and Adam “Kurl” Kurlansky are assigned to be pen pals for an English assignment.Īdam is having to repeat his senior year of high school because he failed a class.

We contain multitudes by sarah henstra