David in How High We Go in the Dark: A Character Analysis

Overview of David's Role in the Novel's Structure and Themes of Grief and Mourning, Sacrifice and Selflessness, Memory and Legacy, the Commodification of Death, and Hope and Resilience in How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu. David is one of the novel's most emotionally layered characters, appearing across three chapters as a grieving father, a former stand-up comedian, and eventually a scientist. He first surfaces in City of Laughter as a struggling comedian who takes a job at a euthanasia park, where he befriends Dorrie and her son Fitch. After Fitch's death from the Arctic plague, David dedicates himself to growing human organs in genetically modified pigs—work he hopes will save other children like his son. His story is one of grief transformed into purpose, but also of guilt that never fully resolves. David's arc illustrates how the novel's grief and mourning theme operates on a personal scale, while his work at the park and later in the lab connects to the commodification of death that pervades the plague-ravaged world. His relationship with Snortorious P.I.G. embodies sacrifice and selflessness, and his efforts to preserve Fitch's memory through his work speak to memory and legacy. Ultimately, David's story is also one of hope and resilience, as he channels his loss into saving others. For a broader look at how David's choices shape the novel's conclusion, see the ending explained page, and for more discussion of his decisions, visit the questions and answers section. ## Plot Role David serves as a connective thread between the novel's early pandemic chapters and its later scientific developments. In City of Laughter, he is the narrator and protagonist, guiding readers through the moral horror of the euthanasia park—a facility built on the site of a former prison where infected children are given a final ride on a roller coaster called the Osiris. David's job as a costumed entertainer places him at the center of this death industry, and his friendship with Fitch and Dorrie humanizes the park's grim purpose. In Pig Son, David reappears as the scientist who discovers that donor pig 28, nicknamed Snortorious P.I.G., can speak. This chapter shifts from the park's public spectacle to the private, laboratory-bound work of trying to save plague victims through organ transplantation. In Through the Garden of Memory, David appears briefly in the void—the shared afterlife or limbo experienced by plague victims—watching a memory of Fitch's final ride. His presence there suggests he has died or experienced a near-death state, and his brief appearance ties his personal story to the novel's larger meditation on what happens after death. ## Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions David's primary motivation is grief. After losing Fitch, he commits himself to growing organs that might have saved his son inside pigs. This is both a scientific mission and a form of penance. He never addresses Fitch's failed transplant in his peer-reviewed articles, keeping his son's file in his desk rather than among the lab's program records—a detail that reveals his inability to process the loss publicly. The file sits there like a lost statistic, a private reminder of what he couldn't prevent. His compassion is evident in his treatment of Snortorious. He treats the pig like a child, digging through his attic for Fitch's old books and toys, teaching him to read with flash cards and children's books, and eventually taking him home for a night when the pig asks for home. When Snortorious chooses to donate his organs, David reads him the ending of The Lord of the Rings as the pig dies under anesthesia—a book that Fitch had asked to finish together before his own death. This act completes a story David couldn't finish with his son, transferring his paternal care to the pig. David's background as a comedian also shapes his character. He came from a stereotypical Silicon Valley Asian family that expected him to become a doctor, lawyer, or tech entrepreneur, but he chose comedy because he wanted to make people laugh and help them see the world clearly. This desire to help people persists in his scientific work, though the medium changes from laughter to organ transplantation. ## Chronological Arc David's arc spans three chapters, though the book's non-linear structure means his story is revealed across different time periods. In City of Laughter, David is a struggling comedian who takes a job at the euthanasia park. He befriends Dorrie and Fitch, brings Fitch comic books and paints for Dorrie, and eventually operates the Osiris ride for Fitch's final ride. This is the emotional climax of his time at the park—he arranges a special day for Fitch, complete with a Big Cats show and sea lion feeding, before leading the boy to the roller coaster. In Pig Son, David has become a scientist. The chapter opens with him receiving half of Fitch's ashes from his ex-wife, and it is Fitch's birthday. He discovers Snortorious can speak, teaches the pig to read and communicate, and develops a deep bond with him. When the pig's brain is found to be growing uncontrollably, David faces the prospect of losing another child. In Through the Garden of Memory, David appears in the void, watching a memory of Fitch's final ride. He tells the narrator that Fitch's mother is still out there in the world, alone. This brief appearance suggests David's death or near-death experience, and it underscores the novel's theme of memory and legacy—even in death, David is haunted by the memory of his son. ## Relationships David's relationships are defined by loss and the attempt to rebuild connection. Dorrie: David's ex-wife. She blames him for not being there at the end of Fitch's life. She texts him on Fitch's birthday, but he never responds—he says she doesn't really want a conversation, and that a real conversation would be too painful. Their relationship is fractured by grief and mutual blame. Fitch: David's son, who died of the Arctic plague. David carries deep guilt about Fitch's death, and his scientific work is an attempt to save other children. He keeps Fitch's file in his desk, a private shrine to his loss. Snortorious: The speaking pig becomes a surrogate son. David teaches him to read, takes him home, and reads him The Lord of the Rings as he dies. The pig's choice to donate his organs mirrors the sacrifice David wishes he could have made for Fitch. Patrice and Ammie: David's graduate assistant and her sister, a speech therapist. They help him teach Snortorious and form a makeshift family around the pig. Their presence provides David with a support system he lacks elsewhere. ## Key Decisions and Consequences David's key decisions drive his arc and shape the novel's themes. - Taking the job at the park: Leads to meeting Fitch and Dorrie, and ultimately to operating the ride for Fitch's death. This decision places David at the heart of the commodification of death that defines the plague era. - Becoming a scientist: Transforms his grief into purpose, but also isolates him from Dorrie. His work in the lab is a direct response to Fitch's failed transplant. - Teaching Snortorious to speak: Creates a profound bond, but also leads to the pig's brain growing uncontrollably. David's decision to treat the pig like a child has unintended consequences. - Taking Snortorious home: Gives the pig a taste of the world, but also exposes him to the risk of being discovered. The night at David's house is a brief, bittersweet respite. - Honoring Snortorious's choice: The pig chooses to return to the lab and donate his organs. David accepts this decision, reading him The Lord of the Rings as he dies. This act of sacrifice and selflessness is the culmination of David's arc. ## Theme and Symbol Connections David's story connects to several of the novel's central themes. His grief over Fitch drives everything he does, from his work at the park to his scientific research. The euthanasia park itself is a symbol of the commodification of death—children's lives are ended on a roller coaster, and parents collect their ashes from a checkout facility. David's role in this system is deeply ambivalent; he helps children die, but he also tries to give them moments of joy. Snortorious symbolizes both hope and resilience and the limits of scientific ambition. The pig's ability to speak is a miracle, but it is also a symptom of his fatal brain growth. David's relationship with the pig mirrors his relationship with Fitch—he loves something he cannot save. The Lord of the Rings reading is a powerful symbol of memory and legacy. David completes the story he couldn't finish with Fitch, passing it on to Snortorious as a final gift. ## Questions and Answers 1. Why does David keep Fitch's file in his desk rather than in the lab's program records? David keeps the file in his desk because he can't fully separate his personal grief from his professional work. The file sits there like a lost statistic, a private reminder of what he couldn't prevent. 2. What does David tell Snortorious about Fitch's heart condition? David tells Snortorious that Fitch had a bad heart and that he had the sickness shown on TV. He explains that Fitch had a failed transplant, which is why he now grows organs in pigs. 3. Why does David take Snortorious home for a night? David takes Snortorious home because the pig asks for home. David wants to give him that experience, even if only for a night, before the pig is transferred to federal custody. 4. What does Snortorious choose to do when given the choice? Snortorious chooses to return to the lab and donate his organs. He says Pig go back, Pig sick, Pig help people, and David honors this decision. 5. What happens to Snortorious's heart after he dies? Snortorious's heart goes to a boy two hundred miles away. David reads him the ending of The Lord of the Rings as the pig dies under anesthesia, and the pig's heart beats on in another child.