The Benefits of Being an Octopus

This is the beginning of the novel’s climax. In social studies, Zoey avoids Ms. Rochambeau because she doesn’t want to explain why she ran out of debate club the day before. Before the bell rings, Zoey heads to the restroom, where she finds Fuchsia crying in one of the stalls. Fuchsia’s still torn between her fear of Michael and her fear of ending up back in foster care if she calls DCF. She’s in a terrible position, and again, Zoey is pained that she can’t help her friend.

As school ends, Zoey passes the library and can’t help but listen to the debate in progress. Matt is debating the anti-gun stance against the eighth-grade boy originally picked to debate Zoey. Matt confidently recites statistics about mass shootings and the evils of guns, while his opponent argues in favor of gun rights with equal confidence.

The debate strikes Zoey as artificial, and before she realizes what she’s doing, she steps forward and delivers a tirade about the realities of gun violence. Without mentioning Fuchsia by name, she asks the boys what a kid should do when threatened by an adult with a gun. She then calls out everyone’s judgment in naming Silas as the shooter. She rhetorically asks if she too is a monster because she wears a camo coat. The takeaway from this incident is that gun violence and gun ownership are real to Zoey in a way that they aren’t to the other kids in debate club. Zoey knows both the good and bad sides of what it means for guns to be a part of life—and therefore cannot adopt a simplistic pro or con stance.

Before Ms. Rochambeau or anyone else can respond, Zoe flees. Outside, she laughs with relief at finally having stood up for herself even though her speech bordered on unhinged (126). She no longer fears the other kids’ judgment or feels that they’re better than her. 

Empowered by her unofficial debate-club win, Zoey heads to Family Services to ask about the cause of the electricity outage. The day after the power went out, it returned without any explanation. Zoey discovers that her mother filed the paperwork to have the electricity turned back on but never mentioned it. At home, Zoey confronts Kara about this and tries to convince her to leave Lenny. Again, Kara dismisses the idea. She tells Zoey that who turned the electricity back on isn’t important; what is important is a stable home for Zoey, Bryce, Aurora, and Hector. Zoey confides that Bryce has been having bad nightmares and is mimicking Lenny’s tone. This is news to Kara, and she realizes that Lenny’s bullying is affecting Bryce.

When Lenny returns that evening, he announces that he has a new job. Zoey understands that even Lenny’s good moods are calculated and waits for him to twist the situation as an opportunity for control. After dinner, Lenny tells Kara that she’ll have to change her hours at the Pizza Pit to accommodate his new schedule. When she protests that this is impossible, Lenny tells her to quit her job. Kara prizes her job at the Pizza Pit; it’s her only means of independence.

Kara runs to the bathroom to cry, and Zoey follows. Lenny’s attempt to take away Kara’s independence seems to have triggered a realization; while Kara remains with Lenny, she’ll never have control over her own life. Zoey confesses that the shooting happened because Crystal’s boyfriend tried to scare Fuchsia into silence. Zoey says, “I know that you said he doesn’t hit you, but it doesn’t matter. He’s still making sure that you are scared” (134). Zoey suggests that they try to find their own apartment so that they won’t have to rely on Lenny any longer. Kara is doubtful because they have so little money, but she promises to try—provided that Zoey keeps it a secret.

That Saturday, Kara tells Lenny that she’s going to the supermarket but instead inquires at Family Services about low-income housing. They tell her that they have no availability, nor does the shelter have space, but Kara picks up a flyer with a number for a domestic abuse hotline and learns that if they leave, they can file a protective order against Lenny.

Zoey visits Fuchsia and convinces her to call Family Services and tell Crystal about the shooting. Zoey offers to be there when Fuchsia talks to Crystal, hoping that Crystal won’t react as badly. Though Zoey couldn’t find a way to help Fuchsia earlier, she realizes that her presence can be an important source of moral support. Zoey calls Kara and proposes that they move into Crystal and Fuchsia’s apartment. That way, the women can split rent, and neither will have to live with an abusive partner.