Gary is referred to as a "Gutless Wonder" on various occasions by various people like with his father on the boat in the storm or, in his mind, by his friends. Through all this criticism by Gary's father, siblings and friends he losses confidence in himself and forgets that his own opinion is more important than everyone else's. Gary slowly builds up his confidence again and proves to everyone that he isn't a gutless wonder by going to Dumby Reds funeral, and by rubbing out the "BOONGS PISS OFF!" sign on the side of the shed. Deadly Unna? Also explores the effect the racism, stereotyping and discrimination have on the communities" everyday life.
The first instance of where Gary was referred to as a gutless wonder was on his fathers boat in the storm. "A gutless wonder. My own son a gutless fucking wonder" were Gary's fathers words to Gary, this was the beginning of Gary's great loss of confidence. After this occurrence Gary got called a gutless wonder a lot by his father who was a drunk, incapable excuse for a man. The insults from Gary's father were the main reason for Gary's great loss of confidence. Through this mental abuse Gary started to believe that he actually was a gutless wonder. .
Gary's friends didn't actually referrer to Gary as a gutless wonder, but Gary in his mind that they thought he was a gutless wonder. The one thing that most influenced Gary to think his friends think he was a gutless wonder was at the football game, we don't actually get the friends points of views, but we take the Gary acts and feels around his friends that this is the cause. These thoughts also strained Gary's mind very heavily having to think about it all the time, and to try and make it so his friends didn't think he was a gutless wonder. To prove to his friends, family, and most importantly his father that he wasn't a gutless wonder Gary had to do something big, take a leap of faith, and Gary found opportunity, Dumby Reds funeral, so Gary took it.
