History Literature / TheArtOfStarving

* AdultFear: Matt's mother has to deal with lots of these: seeing your friends being laid out and possibly being the next, your daughter running away from home, your son developing an eating disorder right under your nose...

* HonestyIsTheBestPolicy: Matt comes clean about his [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking suicidal ideation, homicidal toughts and even his hated first name]] to establish a report of confidence between himself and the reader so the latter trusts him when stuff gets trippy...
* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Tariq. Despite being one of the popular kids and always hanging out with Ott and Bastien is clocked by Matt as someone very lonely, [[ManipulativeBastard something he tries to explore to find out about his role on Maya's disappearence.]] Tariq quickly takes a liking to him and they start to hang out a lot outside of school grounds[[spoiler: although it's also influenced by Tariq having a huge crush on Matt for years.]]

* JewishAndNerdy: Matt, who's a fan of video games, comic books and WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender and has read Literature/TheArtOfWar many times.
* LivingEmotionalClutch: [[spoiler: As his mental state worsens, Matt turns Tariq into this, internally calling him "the only good thing in [his] life and doing whatever he can to keep him. He doesn't take well when Tariq dumps him because he can't take his disorder.]]

* TheReveal: [[spoiler: It turns out that neither Tariq nor his friends hurt Maya. She just wanted a ride to Providence so she could meet up with her stranged father.]]

* SelfMadeMan: Tariq's dad was a poor syrian immigrant who qorked his way up and became the wealthy owner of a christmas tree store.
* SiblingTriangle: Before Maya's disappearence, she and Matt both shared a crush on Tariq and Matt even acted like a ShipperOnDeck when Tariq began messaging Maya. [[spoiler: In one of their phone calls, Maya apologizes to Matt for not telling him that she knew Tariq was into him.]]

* StraightGay: Neither Matt nor [[spoiler: Tariq]] demonstrate any stereotypical chariteristics.

* WindmillCrusader: Matt's mother tells him many times that nobody hurt Maya but he still thinks that Tariq had something to do with it and is dertermined to bring him and his buddies down. [[spoiler: She was right. Matt doesn't take it very well. He then becomes obssessed with fighting against his dad, whom he blames for Maya abbandoning him and his mother.]]

* InTheBlood: For a long time, Matt's mother has feared that her addictive personality passed on to her children and is proven correct after finding out about Matt's eating disorder.

** In general, watching a loved one self-destruct themselves and being resistant to any attempts of getting help. Despite Matt's mother catching him several times (with him even getting ''hospitalized'' at one time), Matt continues to starve himself and hide it from her. [[spoiler: Tariq also tries to find ways to help Matt after finding out about his ED, but Matt tries to distract him with sex. In the end, Tariq breaks up with Matt because he feels like he is "enabling" Matt.]]

* SelfMadeMan: Tariq's dad was a poor syrian immigrant who qorked his way up and became the wealthy owner of a christmas tree store.

* IncompatibleOrientantion: [[spoiler: Maya had a crush on Tariq, who is gay and has a crush on her brother.]]

* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: As a side-effect of his eating disorder, Matt sees himself as fat while he only gets more and more dangerously skinny.

Matt's life is a complete mess. He's bullied at school for his sexuality; he finds himself desiring the same bullies who make his life a living hell while also envying them for the bodies he could never have; his single mother is on the brink of losing her job and most recently, his older sister Maya has run away from home and won't tell him why. The only thing Matt has some control over is his own body -specifically, the ability of denying it food.

* AntagonisticOffspring: [[spoiler: Matt develops an animosity towards his missing father after learning that he was the reason Maya ran away. After completing his RoaringRampageOfRevenge, Alex attempts to march to Providence only to be stopped by Maya and his own debilitating health.]]

* MommasBoy: While he fears turning out like her, Matt loves his mother and hates seeing her cry.

* PowerfullAndHelpless: Despite all his powers, Matt [[spoiler: ends up unable to stop his mother from losing her job.]]

* SecretelySelfish: [[spoiler: While in recovery Matt admits that all his action through the novel were motivated by his desire to be in control.]]

* RedheadsAreUncool: Matt.

* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: It's very possible to interpret that Matt's "superpowers" are just hallucinations indulced by his hunger and poor mental health.

* AntiHero: Matt is cynical and admits having both suicidal ''and'' homicidal ideation but is mostly driven by his love for family.

** [[spoiler: InvertedTrope with Tariq, who has been attracted to the unpopular and geeky Matt before the story started.]]

* WeightWoe: PlayedForDrama and a male example for that matter.

* CoolBigSis: Maya, a badass punk-rocker whose sole presence made that no one messed with Matt. She even helped him come out when he was younger!

* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: It's very possible to interpret that Matt's "superpowers" are just hallucinations indulced by his hunger and poor mental health.

* GayGuySeeksMostPopularJock: Much to Matt's own chagrin, he finds himself attracted to the jocks who bully him. [[spoiler: He eventually starts a relationship with Tariq.]]

* StruglingSingleMother: Matt's mother

* StrunglingSingleMother: Matt's mother

* DissapearedDad: Matt's father.

* RedheadsAreUncool: Matt.

* GangOfBullies: Ott, Bastien and Tariq. Ott is the classic BarbaricBully, Bastien prefers a more verbal aproach and Tariq is the bystander.

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''The Art of Starving'' is a young adult science fiction/fantasy novel by Creator/SamJMiller.

''The Art of Starving'' is