~Dustin is thoroughly
wrapped up in his own glorified, somewhat convoluted perception of reality.
He habitually projects naïve, unfounded meanings onto the circumstances
around him to find later that his outlook had been misconstrued. His saving
grace, though, is his unerring optimism, which is put to good use in reassigning
more sophisticated--but still ennobled--connotations to his condition (one
that might very well leave anyone with less resilience a disillusioned cynic).
Dustin is shaky in his newfound importance, and shy by nature. His fixed ambition,
however, prompts him to reassert himself-which he does by behaving emphatically,
with mock-assuredness. Unfortunately, his behavior often has the opposite
and undesired effect; serving only to highlight his inexperience in the most
tactless manner possible. As a direct result, despite an amiable disposition,
Dustin manages to elicit an atmosphere of aggravated tension from an already
tense situation.
Fox interprets Dustin's impetuousness as some kind of pretentious challenge.
Being that their circumstances are similar, the two end up entangled in an
unspoken struggle for dominance--or more accurately, for an elusive gesture
of gratitude from Regin (who likes to remain as oblivious as possible). Dustin
partakes of this futile endeavor rather unwittingly, chiding Fox for being
obsessive without realizing that his own level of involvement is just as severe.
Molly is perhaps the only character who treats Dustin as he would have it
in his own romanticized rendition of things. Whether she's simply humoring
him, or actually has some amount of respect for him is irrelevant--it provides
him with a much needed bit of esteem.
