Chris Crutcher’s novel Deadline is a work of young adult literary fiction. Set in the small town of Trout, Idaho, the novel is written from the protagonist Ben Wolf’s first-person point of view and traces his experiences throughout his senior year of high school. An energetic and determined character, Ben is ready to live his life to its fullest before leaving home for college. However, just after his 18th birthday, Ben’s circumstances change forever when he learns that he has a chronic blood disease and one year to live.

True to all of Crutcher’s young adult novels, Deadline explores the complexities of coming of age amidst difficult circumstances. Ben’s prognosis challenges him to ask hard questions about life, death, love, and purpose. In Crutcher’s characteristic style, he depicts Ben’s narrative with empathy, tenderness, and humor. Crutcher uses Ben’s unprecedented situation as the soil for his explorations of The Confrontation of Mortality, The Impact of Secrets and the Value of Transparency, and Self-Discovery and Personal Growth in the Face of Adversity.

This guide refers to the 2007 HarperCollins Children’s Books paperback edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide describe mental health conditions, terminal illnesses, death by suicide, teenage pregnancy, and sexual abuse.

Plot Summary

The novel opens in August, the beginning of the protagonist Ben Wolf’s final year of high school. Ben lives with his dad, mom, and younger brother Cody in the small town of Trout, Idaho. He plans to live his senior year with intention while also having a good time and doing well in school. However, shortly after he turns 18, his doctor, Doc Wagner, informs him that he has a rare and chronic blood disease. The results of his regularly scheduled physical exam for cross country reveal that he has only one year to live.

Ben goes for a run after receiving the news. He returns to Doc’s office afterward and informs him that he doesn’t want to pursue treatment and doesn’t want to tell his family or community about his condition. Doc protests, but Ben is resolved in his decision. Doc agrees to keep Ben’s secret if he sees a therapist, Marla Dawson, on a regular basis.

Meanwhile, Ben starts the school year and goes out for the football team, the Trout Cougars. Cody is a football star, but no one expects Ben to excel at the sport because he’s a runner and has a slight build. Ben dismisses these concerns and throws himself into the sport. He has a close connection with the coach, Coach Banks, and assures Coach that he’s ready for whatever challenges the experience might give him.

Ben decides to read whatever books he can and to learn as much as possible with the time he has left. Reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X becomes particularly informative for him. He starts raising ideas from the book in Mr. Lambeer’s civics and government class because he wants to fight for what he believes in. Even when Lambeer tries to discourage Ben’s ideas, Ben doesn’t back down.

Ben additionally starts talking to his longtime crush, Dallas Suzuki. Because she is beautiful, smart, and athletic, Ben doubts that Dallas will be interested in him. She surprises him by asking him to the homecoming dance during one of their first conversations. They attend the dance together after an impressive football game, and Ben realizes how much he’s enjoying his life. He has sex with Dallas that night and spends the next few days reflecting on his surprising experiences. He also tries to process what he’s feeling in therapy with Marla. However, not long later, Marla tells Ben that she can’t work with him anymore because she doesn’t support his decision to resist treatment.

Meanwhile, Ben develops two other unlikely friendships: one with Rudy McCoy, the local car garage employee, and the other with Hey-Soos, a specter who has begun visiting Ben in his dreams. Since his diagnosis, Ben has realized how lonely Rudy is. He starts spending evenings in the garage discussing literature, politics, and life with him. At night, he converses with Hey-Soos about everything he’s experiencing and feeling. Hey-Soos doesn’t give Ben easy answers, but Ben enjoys their talks.

Ben starts to wonder if he should tell his loved ones the truth when Dallas and Rudy open up to him about their traumatic pasts. With Hey-Soos’s help, he decides to confront his friends, family, and community. He tells Rudy, Coach, Cody, Dallas, and his parents about his condition and prognosis, and apologizes for keeping the truth from them for so long.

Ben’s health grows feeble during the last months of high school. He doesn’t make it to graduation, but he dies with his loved ones by his side.

Cody delivers Ben’s speech at the Trout High School graduation ceremony. In the speech, Ben tells his classmates about everything that he’s learned during his last year of life. He encourages them to make similarly brave choices and deep connections.