The primary conflict in Susan E. Hinton's novel,
Rumble Fish, concerns the relationship between Rusty-James and his
brother, The Motorcycle Boy. The Motorcycle Boy has attempted to leave his former gang
life behind him, escaping to California to avoid the temptations of the Tulsa, Oklahoma
streets. However, The Motorcyle Boy's absence leaves Rusty-James without an influential
big brother, and Rusty-James falls deeper into the gang and street life which his
brother has tried to leave behind. Rusty-James looks to his brother as a type of young
god who has always shown up to help him out of his various jams. While The Motorcycle
Boy preaches independence that does not include gangs and violence, Rusty-James sees no
such future for himself. He has a fear of being alone, and he realizes that The
Motorcycle Boy will probably leave town again soon.
The
climax of the story occurs when The Motorcycle Boy steals fish--Siamese fighting fish
("rumble fish")--from the pet store, hoping to symbolically release them in the nearby
river. Instead, he is shot dead by the local police officer, and the fish die as well.
The resolution takes place in the final chapter, which picks up where Chapter One left
off: Old friend Steve has run into Rusty-James on a California beach some six years
after they had last seen one another. Steve invites Rusty-James to dinner, but Rusty
will not go: Steve is a reminder of the past which he is trying to
forget.
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