Make Sure You Die Screaming Summary, Characters and Themes
Make Sure You Die Screaming by Zee Carlstrom is an evocative, dark narrative about a troubled individual caught in the aftermath of personal failures. The protagonist embarks on a road trip with their unpredictable companion, Yivi, in a desperate attempt to escape their past and reconcile with their fractured identity.
The journey to Arkansas, initially meant to confront their estranged father, turns into an exploration of self-doubt, existential turmoil, and complex relationships, ultimately revealing the painful truths about family, addiction, and the scars of unresolved trauma. With sharp humor and raw vulnerability, the protagonist faces their past head-on, challenging their fate as they journey through chaos.
Summary
The story follows a deeply introspective and troubled protagonist, who embarks on a chaotic road trip from Chicago to Arkansas under peculiar circumstances—helping their mother “kidnap” their father. The protagonist, whose name is never revealed, is running from a life filled with failures: a broken relationship, a lost job, and a family dynamic that is fraught with tension.
The road trip, intended as an escape, becomes a confrontation with their inner demons and unresolved issues, particularly with their estranged father and unreliable mother.
The protagonist’s self-destructive behavior is evident early on, and their internal monologue reveals sharp, self-deprecating humor. They struggle with substance abuse and mental health issues, exacerbated by a traumatic head injury.
These struggles are compounded by their troubled relationship with their father, a paranoid conspiracy theorist. The father, an emotionally distant figure, adds to the protagonist’s sense of alienation and self-loathing.
Throughout the journey, the protagonist is forced to reflect on their past, including the volatile relationship with their father and the strained connections with other family members, especially their mother.
Accompanying the protagonist on this road trip is Yivi, a quirky “garbage goth” who brings a unique energy to the story. Yivi is unpredictable and reckless, often clashing with the protagonist’s darker moods, but also providing moments of levity and grounding.
The two characters share a complex, dysfunctional bond, with Yivi struggling with her own issues and addictions. Despite their differences, Yivi and the protagonist rely on each other in a toxic yet symbiotic way, helping each other navigate their respective emotional turmoil.
The road trip is filled with absurdities: from stealing a car to being chased by a cop, the journey is not only a physical one but also a metaphor for the protagonist’s mental state. Their internal conflict is mirrored in their relationship with Yivi, whose own troubled past and addiction issues complicate their interactions.
Despite the chaotic nature of their trip, the protagonist is constantly forced to confront their own identity and their past, particularly their family dynamics.
As the trip unfolds, the protagonist’s sense of self-worth continues to crumble. They begin to understand the fractured relationship they have with their mother, whom they view with a mix of contempt and pity.
The relationship with the mother is emotionally manipulative, contributing to the protagonist’s deep-seated emotional scars. Despite the humor and chaos that accompany the journey, the protagonist is faced with existential questions about their identity and what they are truly running from.
The journey to Arkansas is not just a physical trip but a metaphor for the protagonist’s desperate search for something—or someone—worth saving. However, the protagonist’s efforts to escape their problems ultimately lead them to confront the painful realities of their past.
Their trip to their mother’s house in Arkansas culminates in a confrontation with harsh truths about their family. The realization that their father has been missing for over a year forces the protagonist to face their unresolved feelings about their father’s abandonment and the manipulative nature of their mother.
The truth about their father’s disappearance shakes the protagonist, pushing them further into emotional turmoil.
As the confrontation with their family reaches its peak, the protagonist’s attempts to reconcile their past are met with resistance. Their explosive anger towards their mother and their chaotic relationship with Yivi create an emotional climax.
Despite moments of clarity and reflection, the protagonist cannot break free from the toxic patterns that define their life. Ultimately, the journey leads to an ambiguous resolution.
The protagonist faces the painful realization that no matter how far they run, they cannot escape their identity. The past, with all its emotional baggage, remains a constant presence in their life.
In the end, the protagonist declares their independence from the family that has shaped their life. They refuse to be defined by their past or their father’s legacy.
This declaration of freedom, however, is bittersweet, as it comes at the cost of their relationships. The protagonist leaves their mother’s house in Arkansas, unsure of what lies ahead, but determined to move forward on their own terms.
Throughout the narrative, themes of identity, self-worth, and the destructive nature of unresolved trauma are explored. The protagonist’s journey is marked by moments of self-awareness, but it is also filled with denial and self-doubt.
The chaotic road trip serves as both a literal and figurative journey towards self-realization, as the protagonist struggles to reconcile their past with their present. In the end, the story leaves the reader with a sense of ambiguity, reflecting the uncertainty and complexity of life itself.
The protagonist may not have found the answers they were looking for, but the journey has forced them to confront their darkest fears and unresolved issues.
Characters
The Protagonist
The protagonist of Make Sure You Die Screaming is a deeply troubled individual whose life is marked by a constant struggle with self-doubt, addiction, and the weight of unresolved emotional trauma. This unnamed character is caught in a cycle of self-destructive behavior, driven by a series of personal failures and an internal conflict that they cannot escape.
Their journey begins as an attempt to distance themselves from their past, yet it becomes an inescapable confrontation with their inner demons. The protagonist’s sense of identity is fractured, shaped by a volatile relationship with their paranoid father, a manipulative mother, and the guilt of past mistakes, including the death of their best friend, Jenny.
Their emotional state is exacerbated by substance abuse, which distorts their perception of reality. This complex character is often self-deprecating, using sharp humor to mask their deeper vulnerabilities.
Throughout the story, they question their own worth and purpose, ultimately realizing that they cannot outrun their past. The protagonist’s relationship with their family, particularly with their father, is central to their emotional journey, as they seek answers about their father’s disappearance and the broken connections that have shaped their life.
This introspective search for meaning and reconciliation leads them through a road trip filled with absurdity, chaos, and painful realizations.
Yivi
Yivi, the protagonist’s companion throughout the road trip, is a quirky and troubled individual who adds both complexity and chaos to the narrative. Described as a “garbage goth,” Yivi is reckless and unpredictable, often clashing with the protagonist’s darker moods and decisions.
Despite her wild demeanor and sometimes abrasive personality, Yivi serves as a grounding force for the protagonist. She is portrayed as the kind of friend who, while flawed and troubled herself, provides moments of levity and comfort in an otherwise bleak situation.
Yivi’s own struggles with addiction and a difficult past mirror the protagonist’s inner turmoil, and their relationship is symbiotic, though strained by the protagonist’s self-destructive tendencies. She constantly challenges the protagonist’s facade of control, pushing them to confront their darkest fears and regrets, particularly regarding their family.
Yivi’s vulnerabilities, which she hides behind her tough exterior, make her more relatable and human, providing a stark contrast to the protagonist’s inner chaos. Her presence, though tumultuous at times, is integral to the protagonist’s journey, forcing them to face the reality of their situation and the complicated nature of their own identity.
The Protagonist’s Father (Henry Gunderson)
The protagonist’s father, Henry Gunderson, is a complex and enigmatic figure whose influence looms large over the entire narrative. He is described as a paranoid, conspiracy-theorist with deeply unconventional beliefs, creating a rift between him and the protagonist.
The father’s absence is a driving force in the protagonist’s emotional turmoil, and much of their journey is an attempt to find him, seeking answers about the fractured relationship and their father’s unexplained disappearance. As the narrative progresses, the protagonist discovers that their father has been dead for over a year and is buried in the very camp they stumble upon during their road trip.
The revelation of his death and the bizarre circumstances surrounding his final resting place force the protagonist to confront the unresolved anger and resentment they feel toward him. The discovery that their father’s remains are found in a pigpen, half-buried and discarded, symbolizes the tragic, unfinished nature of their relationship.
Despite this, the protagonist’s decision to bury their father’s remains with the help of Yivi is an act of closure, a reluctant acceptance of the flawed legacy he leaves behind.
The Protagonist’s Mother
The protagonist’s mother is an emotionally manipulative figure, whose relationship with her child is marked by a mixture of contempt and pity. She has played a pivotal role in shaping the protagonist’s emotional state, with her manipulative behavior leaving deep scars.
Throughout the story, the protagonist is conflicted about their feelings toward her—resentful of her emotional control and yet somehow still seeking her approval. The protagonist’s journey to Arkansas, which is initially framed as an attempt to find closure with their father, ultimately leads to a confrontation with their mother, who reveals harsh truths about the family’s dynamics.
Her manipulative tendencies are exposed as the protagonist learns that their father had been absent for much longer than they had realized, further compounding the protagonist’s emotional disarray. The mother’s refusal to acknowledge the emotional damage she has caused only deepens the protagonist’s sense of alienation and loss, pushing them to sever ties with the past.
Her presence in the narrative serves as a catalyst for the protagonist’s eventual decision to reject the control and expectations placed on them by their family, choosing instead to move forward on their own terms.
Dante and Becky
Dante and Becky are two secondary characters who briefly enter the narrative during the “Circle of Truth” game at a motel. While their role in the larger story is limited, they provide a moment of introspection and vulnerability for the protagonist and Yivi.
Dante, with his odd family dynamics, proposes the game in which each participant must confess a personal truth. The game forces the protagonist to open up about their fears and guilt, particularly concerning Yivi, whom they have betrayed.
The confessions reveal the emotional burdens carried by each character, with Becky’s own troubled relationship with Dante adding complexity to the dynamics. However, the tension escalates when Yivi, in a desperate moment, threatens the group with a knife to ensure their silence, demonstrating the precariousness of the situation and the characters’ emotional instability.
While Dante and Becky ultimately play a minor role in the protagonist’s journey, their presence serves to highlight the theme of confronting uncomfortable truths and the destructive potential of hidden emotions.
Themes
Family and Parental Relationships
The protagonist’s complicated relationship with their family forms a cornerstone of the narrative in Make Sure You Die Screaming. The figure of the father looms large throughout the protagonist’s journey, shaping much of their emotional turmoil and self-perception.
The father’s erratic behavior, steeped in paranoia and conspiracy theories, creates a toxic dynamic, pushing the protagonist into a spiral of confusion and resentment. The protagonist’s memories of their father are not just of a man with deeply flawed ideas but also of someone whose absence has left a deep void in the protagonist’s sense of self.
Their strained interactions with their mother further add to this sense of dysfunction, with her manipulative tendencies only exacerbating the protagonist’s feelings of being trapped within their family’s expectations. The narrative reaches its emotional zenith when the protagonist is confronted with the reality of their father’s death and the shocking discovery of his remains.
This moment is a powerful catalyst for the protagonist, forcing them to confront the weight of unresolved emotions and the fractured nature of their familial bonds. The journey through Arkansas, which starts as an escape, ultimately becomes an attempt to make sense of these fractured relationships, culminating in a bittersweet act of finality—burying the remnants of their father.
The story ultimately explores how the past, particularly a tumultuous family dynamic, defines who we are and how we relate to the world around us.
Identity and Self-Destruction
The theme of identity is deeply intertwined with the protagonist’s internal conflict in Make Sure You Die Screaming. From the very start, the protagonist views themselves through a lens of self-deprecation, referring to themselves as a “misfit” who is trapped within their own skin.
This perception of self as an outsider fuels much of their self-destructive behavior, including substance abuse and erratic actions. Their journey, both literal and metaphorical, is an attempt to escape from their own fractured sense of identity, yet it also forces them to confront the dark truths they are running from.
The road trip with Yivi, initially framed as an adventure, becomes a symbolic representation of the protagonist’s desperate search for meaning and self-acceptance. They attempt to numb the pain of their past failures, but their inability to reconcile with themselves only leads to further turmoil.
The protagonist’s journey is not just about physical distance but about running from their own identity. Yet, by the end of the story, the harsh realization sets in: no matter how far they travel or what actions they take, they cannot escape the person they are.
The culmination of their journey, filled with moments of reckoning and understanding, forces them to face their internal chaos, offering a painful but necessary confrontation with the reality of their existence. The theme of identity thus speaks to the larger struggle of reconciling one’s past and present, acknowledging that self-acceptance often comes through difficult, painful realizations.
Addiction and Mental Health
Addiction and mental health struggles permeate much of Make Sure You Die Screaming, with the protagonist’s inner turmoil manifesting through substance abuse and a general deterioration of their mental state. The protagonist’s coping mechanisms—alcohol, self-medication, and reckless behavior—serve as a temporary escape from the weight of their emotional baggage, but they also exacerbate their personal issues.
Their substance use is not just a crutch; it is a way of numbing themselves to the deep sense of loss, guilt, and shame they feel from past failures, including the death of their best friend Jenny. Their addiction becomes a means of avoidance, allowing them to dodge confronting painful memories and unresolved emotional wounds.
Throughout the narrative, there is a stark contrast between the protagonist’s self-awareness and their inability to break free from their destructive patterns. Despite moments of clarity, where they acknowledge their struggles, they are continually drawn back into the cycle of self-doubt and self-sabotage.
The theme of addiction is not just about substance abuse; it is a broader commentary on how people use unhealthy means to cope with trauma and emotional pain. The narrative’s treatment of mental health is raw and unflinching, revealing the deep internal conflicts that often go unnoticed by those around the protagonist.
The story is ultimately an exploration of how addiction can be both a symptom and a cause of deeper emotional and psychological issues, highlighting the difficulty of breaking free from these destructive cycles.
The Search for Meaning and Closure
In Make Sure You Die Screaming, the protagonist’s road trip is not just a literal journey but a profound search for meaning and closure. The protagonist’s past, filled with emotional scars, failed relationships, and unresolved grief, acts as the driving force behind their desperate need to find something—or someone—that can provide them with answers.
Their trip to Arkansas, initially framed as an escape, transforms into a quest for personal closure, particularly in relation to their father’s mysterious disappearance and death. As the protagonist comes face to face with the shocking reality of their father’s life and death, they are forced to reckon with the painful truths that have been lingering in their psyche.
This search for closure is symbolized by their confrontation with their father’s remains, buried in a grotesque and dehumanizing manner. The protagonist’s final act of burying their father’s remains, alongside Yivi, is a poignant moment of reconciliation, not just with their father’s memory, but with their own past.
It represents a symbolic closure, an acknowledgment of the fractured legacy left behind, and a moment of acceptance that the protagonist can finally let go of the emotional weight they have carried for so long. The theme of closure speaks to the universal desire to make peace with one’s past, and the narrative shows how such a process, while painful, is often necessary for personal growth and moving forward in life.
Friendship and Loyalty
At the heart of the chaotic journey in Make Sure You Die Screaming is the complex, often dysfunctional friendship between the protagonist and Yivi. Despite their shared struggles with addiction and emotional turmoil, Yivi stands as a grounding force for the protagonist.
Yivi’s loyalty, though at times overshadowed by her own personal issues and erratic behavior, offers the protagonist moments of levity and support. Throughout the narrative, Yivi challenges the protagonist’s darker impulses, urging them to confront their emotional baggage and pushing them to question their destructive tendencies.
Their friendship is fraught with tension, yet it is clear that Yivi’s presence is crucial to the protagonist’s journey. In many ways, Yivi acts as a mirror to the protagonist’s own vulnerabilities, and their interactions are marked by both conflict and understanding.
While the protagonist often alienates Yivi with their erratic behavior and reckless choices, the bond between them remains, offering a form of stability in an otherwise chaotic world. Their relationship is a reflection of the complicated nature of loyalty and friendship, showing that even amidst dysfunction, there can be moments of genuine connection and support.
The theme of friendship in this narrative speaks to the importance of human connection, especially in times of crisis, and the ways in which people, despite their flaws, can offer each other solace and understanding when they need it the most.