Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying.

As the central symbol in Four Eyes, glasses lay the foundation for Rex’s experiences of conflict and growth throughout his first year of middle school. Before Rex ever gets glasses of his own, he sees Victor making fun of Scott for wearing them, which only adds to the dread he experiences when he finds out he needs his own pair. Rex spends days struggling to read the board or see the television before he admits that he might need vision correction. A great deal of the plot depicts Rex’s experience of going to the optometrist and frame store for the first time, including montages of him trying on all sorts of different glasses and personalities. It’s clear that Rex perceives each pair of glasses as being associated with a certain type of person, and he wants to find the pair that suits him best. Unfortunately, Rex’s mother can’t afford the pair he likes, and he’s stuck with plain brown ones instead.

When Rex wears his glasses to school, students in every class and during lunch hour constantly bully or question him. People

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