The Porcupine Of Truth, By Bill Koingsberg

When people think of the word families they think love, safety, comfort, and loyalty. But, for some people its not always like that, families go through divorce, people leave for no reason or explanation or death may occur. In the novel The Porcupine of Truth by Bill Koingsberg tells a story about a boy named Cason Smith who comes from a “broken family”. His mother that left his father for being alcoholic when he was only 3 years old is now returning back to Billings, Montana to take care of his dying father who has cirrhosis. Throughout the story, Carson meets a girl named Aisha who also has some family issues, her dad who is very religious kicked her out of her house for being a lesbian. Together they take a journey to find Carson’s grandfather

But, Aisha is also a little broken on the inside. Aisha’s family was a very religious family; she was really close with her dad. When her dad tracked her phone and found out she had girlfriend he wanted her to go to a place in Arizona that would make her straight. But, she tells him “I saw my reflection in the mirror. I thought about how, if I changed, I’d be someone else. I like me, you know? I thought, my dad has no right. He has no right to take me out of me” (Konigsberg 57). In this quote stated from Aisha is shows that she is proud of who she is and doesn’t want anyone or anything to change her identity. Even though, she loved her dad so much she chose to be herself then going somewhere that would make her different. Despite all of this, Aisha is broken her mom did not stick up for her, her girlfriend disappeared, and none of her friends let her stay with them, and she tried to make things right with her father by texting him but gave her no

They care for each other and together they both fill that missing hole in their heart. Carson says:
I hear Aisha sit up. I keep looking out the window at the empty parked cars, and then she hugs me from the side, around the seat. I hold my breath and start to count, and then I stop counting and try to just let the hug happen. What is it that those people have that I never have? Oh. This. I’ve never had this. I’ve had lots of things but never this sort of connection […] (200-201).
In this quote stated by Carson, the reader can see that they need each other and both give that support system that their parents couldn’t give them. Carson is not used to getting hugs from his parents or his friends he has never had someone that he could fully trust with everything. Despite, their family problems together they are a family and Carson learns how to be his true self when he is with