The Bully

The Bully (2002), a young adult novel by Paul Langan, is part of the Bluford series of interconnected novels, which take place in a fictional under-resourced California school called Bluford High. The Bully depicts issues such as poverty, bullying, and violence while promoting values like empathy, moral fortitude, and emotional vulnerability.

Langan, a white author from suburban New Jersey, developed the idea for the series and went on to write, co-write, and edit many of the books. Langan came up with the concept while conducting outreach programs with youth in an under-resourced area of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Noting the teenagers’ “resistance to books,” he wanted to write novels centering Black and Latino characters while modeling positive decision-making (Campbell, Jessica. “Behind Books for Urban Students, an Unlikely Author.” The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2011). The series features a style accessible to reluctant or struggling readers and covers themes like guns, theft, and pregnancy.

Published and distributed by Scholastic, the 22 books in the Bluford series have sold millions of copies; millions more have been donated to under-resourced communities and schools.

This study guide refers to the 2007 Scholastic edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss high school bullying.

Plot Summary

The Bully follows 15-year-old, Black ninth grader Darrell Mercer as he faces the daunting prospect of leaving his beloved Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, home and moving to a new neighborhood in Southern California. Darrell is small and weak for his age; his friends protect him from getting picked on. Darrell says a tearful goodbye to his childhood best friend, Malik, but at home, Darrell shields his feelings from his mother, Jackie, who empathizes with his reluctance to leave. They are moving because she has found a better job that will support the family. He wants her to be happy and feels guilty about ruining her anticipation for their new lives in California.

The next day, Darrell and Jackie start the three-day bus trip across the country. Despite his mother’s optimism about their new life, Darrell can’t muster any excitement. His anxiety only grows when he encounters hostile stares from other teens during a stop at a roadside diner. Upon arriving in California, Darrell is greeted by his towering Uncle Jason, whose remarks about Darrell’s size only exacerbate Darrell’s insecurities. Darrell’s cousins, Travis and Nate, further highlight his perceived inadequacies, leaving him feeling out of place in his new surroundings.

Darrell first meets fellow ninth grader Amberlynn Bailey and immediately develops a crush on her. He tries to be friendly to a group of Bluford students outside the grocery store, but the teens immediately hassle him and take his money. The group’s ringleader, ninth grader Tyray Hobbs, makes Darrell a target for bullying. Darrell attempts to make friends, fit in, and talk to Amberlynn but faces relentless harassment from Tyray and his crew. Desperate to avoid injury and humiliation, Darrell agrees to hand his lunch money over every week to keep Tyray from attacking him. The arrangement causes Darrell intense shame as he gives his mother’s hard-earned money to a bully he hates. However, Darrell finally makes friends with a quiet kid named Harold and no longer eats lunch alone.

Tyray’s harassment does not abate with the weekly payments. Tyray viciously ridicules Amberlynn in class for talking to Darrell, causing her to pretend she doesn’t like Darrell at all. Darrell reaches out to his English teacher, Mr. Mitchell, for support. Mr. Mitchell empathizes with Darrell and recommends that he read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, a novel about a teen surviving in the wilderness that models the development of grit. Hatchet helps Darrell take a more active approach to his life. He starts thinking about how he can change his situation rather than cursing how things are. At home, Darrell notices his cousin Travis bullying his younger brother, Nate. Darrell always steps in to intervene even though Uncle Jason recommends that he let them fight.

Darrell decides to join the wrestling team to develop confidence and strength. Coach Lewis teaches Darrell how to use his smarts rather than his strength to defeat opponents who are bigger and stronger than him. Inspired to work hard, Darrell notices himself growing stronger and more skilled. He loses his first official match but still feels proud and accomplished. When Uncle Jason shames Darrell for how he looked on the mat, Darrell stands up for himself.

Darrell learns that Amberlynn likes him and wants to talk to him at the Freshman Dance. At the dance, Darrell asks Amberlynn to dance—something she’d been hoping would happen. The romantic moment is cut short, however, when one of Tyray’s cronies spots them on the dance floor. Tyray and his crew corner Darrell in the bathroom and throw him into a trashcan. Furious and ashamed, Darrell realizes that he needs to confront Tyray if the bullying is ever going to stop.

When Darrell sees Travis bullying Nate in a dangerous way, he steps in again. Uncle Jason finally sees that Darrell is the kind of person who stands up for what he believes in; shamed, Uncle Jason promises to also intervene when he sees his older son bullying his younger son.

Darrell decides to stop paying Tyray. When Tyray knocks over Darrell’s lunch, Darrell finally stands up to him, calling him a bully and demanding that he apologize to the cafeteria worker who has to clean up the spill. Tyray lunges at Darrell, but Darrell uses his wrestling moves to throw Tyray down, breaking his arm. Darrell’s classmates commend him for taking down the bully, and he finally feels free.