Bugs serve as a physical symbol of Charlie’s fears, for just like insects, his fears pop up to dismay him at inconvenient moments. He is so afraid of bugs that he even attempts to stand up to his mother in order to avoid being in the same room with them. Initially, Charlie lacks courage and fails to stand up for those he loves as the story progresses. This is displayed when he stands by while his friends are bullied and harassed at different points in the novel. Eventually, Charlie tries to demonstrate his courage by stealing Lionel’s peaches, but this does not actually require courage because he knows that Lionel is harmless. In fact, his display of courage in that situation would be completely artificial and “phoney,” as he likes to say. When Charlie is on Lionel’s property, however, he realizes that he will have to pick up peaches that are covered in bugs. He does not want to lose the bet, and so he masters his fear and picks up the peaches. Therefore, what starts as a journey to falsely prove his bravery turns into a real journey in which he actually has to overcome a long-held fear to be brave.