Jake’s hope of winning Didi’s heart and rising in popularity represents his version of the American Dream: the belief that any person, though hard work and determination, can achieve prosperity, happiness, and upward social mobility. Jake, once a bullied and unpopular nerd, is convinced that his reinvention can take him to the height of popularity and acceptance. If he tries hard enough, he is sure that anything is possible. However, Jake’s underhanded tactics while pursuing his dream, along with his ultimate failure, suggest that the American Dream may be just that—a dream—impossible in a society defined by selfishness.

Starting from the lowest rungs of high school popularity, Jake goes to extreme lengths to achieve his dream. He radically changes his appearance, practices for days to get on the football team, convinces his father to buy the right house, and throws incredible parties, all so that he might one day be with Didi. In a sense, this plan succeeds. Through his reinvention, Jake becomes popular, mysterious, and sought-after, able to hang out with the most popular students at his school. He rises from obscurity to become famous, bringing him to the precipice of his dream of Didi.

To get that far, Jake turns to dubious methods to complete his reinvention.