Theories of Relativity

In the final chapters, Dylan hits the lowest point in his life. He is indebted to multiple people, addicted to drugs, and considering prostituting himself to make money—three things he has avoided throughout the novel.

Dylan’s bond with Amber comes as an unexpected development. In the first few chapters, Dylan doesn’t think highly of Amber because of her sex work, hard attitude, and association with Vulture, despite the kindness she showed Dylan when he was new to the streets. However, as Jenna descended further into Vulture’s clutches, Amber began to pull away from that life and turned into Dylan’s closest friend on the streets. The development of this bond culminates in Dylan’s final interaction with her, where she gives him sage advice about sex work and associating with Vulture, and Dylan calls her by her real name, Faith.

The Einstein hallucination in Chapter 26 works as a device for Dylan’s introspection. This is hinted at when Einstein mentions his theory on shrugging, one of Dylan’s theories from the book’s early chapters. This mirroring of Dylan’s own theory sets the chapter up to be a conversation between Dylan and his own psyche. When Einstein presents his theory that Dylan is the reason he’s been rejected by those around him, it is really Dylan working through his abandonment, wondering if something is wrong with him. Dylan rebuts his thoughts with examples of how his brothers didn’t reject him and how his grandfather fought for him. When Einstein asks if Dylan matters to anyone, it echoes Dylan’s own concerns about mattering to those around him, as seen in his interactions with police officers and his family. Einstein also confronts Dylan about his theories, arguing that they are actually about maintaining a sense of control over the world.

It is during this interaction with Einstein that Dylan creates the black hole metaphor to explain his situation. The association was implicit prior to this interaction, but Dylan makes it concrete when he tells Einstein that black holes exist because he’s in one. The severity of Dylan’s situation—being addicted to painkillers, homeless, and owing money to dangerous people—is emphasized through this metaphor. The inescapable quality of the situation is shown through other characters like Twitch and Jenna, who have been consumed by street life completely. Dylan believes he is just another victim and will never escape. However, in the final chapter, Dylan returns to this metaphor by theorizing that he can escape a black hole. This theory comes after Dylan decides to work for Glen to make up the money he owes. All along, Dylan has been given options to escape his street life, and characters like Ainsley and Glen have stressed that it must be his own decision. This final theory once again reveals Dylan’s mindset, this time showing that Dylan is ready to work to change his situation before it’s too late.

The final chapter consists of only two complete sentences, with Dylan introducing the accepted theory “that once something is sucked into a black hole, it can’t escape,” then presenting his new theory that “something can,” referring to himself (228). Centering the chapter on this final theory bookends the novel, as it’s the same device used to begin the story. It also ties back to Einstein explaining that theories are a way to feel in control of the world. Dylan realizes that he controls his own destiny, and so he must take charge of his fight out of the black hole.