As was the general consensus in class, Kyle can be seen as the primary hero in Victory Lap because he has the courage to break away from his confines, both those set forth by society and those by his parents. His saving of the damsel in distress is likely the most archetypal conclusion to a hero narrative. Yet as a protagonist, he is anything but conventional. His likable, innocent, nerdy personality isn't uncommon in modern literature, but his inner, psychological state is completely wacky. Kyle emerges from a highly restrictive environment, not only obeying his parents' rules, but conforming completely to them, so much so that his father resides in his consciousness, and he doesn't dare to disobey. Unsurprisingly, Kyle has built up quite a bit of anger over the years and lets it all loose when he attacks the unnamed assailant.
While saving Alison, Kyle almost goes too far in his berserk state and nearly delivers a killing blow to the man. This topic generated some controversy as to whether Kyle is actually a hero or not, and whether he had truly acted with courageous intentions. I think what Saunders is really emphasizing here is that behind every heroic action there is an imperfect human, with complex motives and emotions. Saunders goes through a lot of trouble to introduce Kyle and Alison as initially (at least partially) insane characters, but in their social interaction they seem perfectly normal. Every human is like this in one way or another. We can never fully understand the actions of a hero, but we accept that the time and conditions were right for that person, and that the world is for the better because of it.
