will grayson, will grayson is the story of two teenagers who share a name and also a problem: being themselves. Authors John Green and David Levithan tell the story of these two young men in alternating chapters that are further distinguished by the use of capitalization (or the lack thereof). Central to the story, though, is the character of Tiny Cooper, the best friend of one Will Grayson and the short-time boyfriend of the other.
The first Will Grayson lives by some very strict rules: shut up and don’t care. These rules are making it impossible for Will Grayson to be himself and equally impossible for him to find a fulfilling romantic relationship. The second will grayson suffers from very serious depression and has an extremely complicated relationship with Maura, a girl who seems to want to be will grayson’s girlfriend but who also suspects that will grayson may be gay.
will grayson is, in fact, gay and has met a boy, Isaac, online who seems to be everything he could want in a boyfriend. Ultimately, will grayson and Isaac plan to meet, and this decision puts Will Grayson and will grayson on a collision course. When Isaac doesn’t show up for their date, will grayson discovers that Isaac never existed—“Isaac” was really Maura. will grayson is devastated, and, at first, the only person there to help pick up the pieces is Will Grayson. Soon enough, however, Tiny Cooper comes along, and it isn’t long before will grayson and Tiny Cooper are a couple. Their relationship gives will grayson the courage to come out to his mother and his small circle of friends and begin the process of becoming comfortable with himself.
Also struggling with accepting his true self is the other Will Grayson. His shut up and don’t care attitude is put to the test when he begins to develop an interest in Jane, a relationship fully approved and completely encouraged by Tiny Cooper. In order to find happiness with Jane, Will Grayson must finally admit he does care and become willing not only to speak, but to speak the truth.
The real center of this story of two Will Graysons, though, is Tiny Cooper. Tiny Cooper is far from tiny; in fact, he is a huge offensive lineman who just happens to also be openly gay. Tiny is not only literally huge, but figuratively as well—he is the epitome of the phrase larger-than-life. Tiny is also a playwright: he has penned the autobiographical play Tiny Dancer and is in the process of bringing the story to the stage. Tiny loves love: he falls in “love” on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the “love” never lasts very long, at least not until Tiny meets will grayson. The two date for a month, a record for Tiny Cooper, before will grayson breaks Tiny’s heart. The experience, though, teaches Tiny some truths about love and friendship, and he is driven to rewrite his play, now entitled Hold Me Closer, a play all about love. The play production brings both Will Graysons and Tiny together again. Will Grayson realizes his critical place in Tiny’s life, and will grayson helps Tiny finally feel appreciated.
In the end, will grayson, will grayson really isn’t about homosexuality; that is just a vehicle for a story about love, friendship, and acceptance. Sure, acceptance and tolerance of homosexuality is part of the story, but this novel is less about accepting others than it is about accepting oneself. The three main characters, Will Grayson, will grayson, and Tiny Cooper, all have to learn to accept themselves for who they are before they can accept and appreciate one another. So, while this novel deals with homosexuality, the themes and lessons are universal, and anyone, gay or straight, can enjoy this novel. The characters are engaging and entertaining, even though the subject matter is heavy. There are some great parent examples in the novel, as well: Will Grayson’s parents and will grayson’s mother. will grayon’s mother, for example, demonstrates how a parent should handle his or her child’s “coming out.” The characters also show that everyone has a secret, and no one’s life is as simple as it may seem from the outside, an important lesson for teens. Will Grayson pretends to shut up and not care, but he, in fact, cares very deeply. will grayson seems heartless but actually suffers from serious depression and is struggling with his sexuality. Tiny Cooper seems to be full of life and confidence, but he actually struggles with his self-concept due to his size. No one’s life is perfect; no one’s life is easy: that is the real lesson of will grayson, will grayson. We are all struggling with something, and the only way to get through it to offer one another friendship, acceptance, and above all, love.
References
Green, J. & Levithan, D. (2010). will grayson, will grayson. New York: Dutton.
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