At the start of Whirligig, Brent, a junior in high school, is emotionally and intellectually shallow. Impatient and quick-tempered, he throws “tantrums” when his desires are thwarted (9). His primary motivation is the acquisition of material goods in the pursuit of social status. His interests seem limited to cars and clothes. Deeply insecure, he craves approval from others. Even his private thoughts about music and romance reveal a lack of independence. He listens to the music that he perceives to be “cool” and focuses solely on looks, money, and popularity when considering his attraction to Brianna:

“Her father, rumor had it, was worth a hundred million[…]she was gorgeous[…] And why shouldn't she like him? He was tall, a little skinny perhaps, a bit uncoordinated, but reasonably handsome, with a square chin and no braces or acne” (6, 12). 

Brent also has “straight blond hair,” which he grooms like “the models in GQ” (5). His apparent good looks reinforce the implication that the transparent desperation of his desire to fit in and his lack of self-awareness are off-putting to his peers.

Brent’s brief interactions with his parents reveal that they are similarly materialistic. His family life, characterized by his father’s stress, TV dinners, and frequent moving, contributes to the angst and loneliness that lead Brent to drink too much, lose his temper, and attempt suicide after the party.