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Narrator and protagonist David Miller’s interest in competitive eating is central to the novel, and his interest guides his decision-making at every turn, from his disastrous accidental $2,000 bid on the Jooky dog to his decision to enter two eating competitions to pay off this monstrous debt. Although David succumbs to the temptation to conceal his initial mistake, he does show perseverance and dedication to his craft as he masters the sport of competitive eating and wins a $5,000 cash prize to repay his parents.

Alongside his competitive eating trials and triumphs, David’s story focuses on familial conflicts and the inner turmoil he feels about his place in as the middle child. David feels less important than his siblings because his older sister Bridgette is a perfectionist with many achievements, and his younger brother Mal has autism and requires extra attention from the family. David feels that he is “always stuck in the middle” (154), and his feelings of envy and frustration boil over when his secret $2,000 charge is brought to light in Chapter 38. David declares that he is “just here to babysit Mal” and “just this thing that happened to show up between Bridgette and Mal” (207).