Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

Scott Hudson, a 14-year-old boy on the cusp of adulthood, is the comedic protagonist of Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie. Lubar’s employment of a first-person limited point of view, which transitions to another first-person narrator in Scott’s journal, makes Scott an unreliable narrator; his age and self-doubt often cause him to misjudge other characters and situations. Scott’s character is round and dynamic; he is a complex character who changes throughout the novel. His story arc follows a coming-of-age model; the conflicts he encounters, both internal and external, are based on his naivety and desire to fit in, and his loyalty often makes him oblivious to the true nature of old friends. Scott’s self-deprecating sense of humor shields him from the implications of the bullying culture he encounters at J. P. Zenger High, but it also generates enemies for him when he pokes fun at the worst of the bullies. Meanwhile, at home, Scott must navigate his changing relationship with his mother and father, who are expecting a baby, and his brother Bobby, whom he regards as his hero. Scott’s idealism and compassion inform his decision to protect those who are weaker and more vulnerable than he.