Although Steve and Rusty-James agree that their neighborhood isn't "the slums," they admit it's quite "crummy." They live in a financially challenged area. Steve's family is better off because his father has a job, but Rusty-James and the Motorcycle Boy must scrounge, steal, and hope their father doesn't spend all his welfare check on alcohol before they receive any of it. When Rusty-James is hungry, he finds sardines, crackers, and milk in the kitchen, mentioning, "I ain't picky. I like about anything." This suggests there isn't much else in the house besides his father's bottles of "sneaky pete."

"For a tough kid, I had a bad habit of getting attached to people," Rusty-James confesses at the book's beginning, and as the narrative progresses, the reader discovers the reasons behind this. Having been abandoned by his mother as a young child and left alone for three days while his father went on a drinking binge, he quickly learned to fear solitude and be wary of others. Throughout the book, his biggest fear is that the Motorcycle Boy will leave him permanently.

The only time Rusty-James describes feeling genuinely alive is when he, Steve, and the Motorcycle Boy cross the river and become absorbed in the crowds, cruising cars, and music. Rusty-James states, "I couldn't explain how I feel. Jivey, juiced up, just alive. The lights, I mean, and all the people." In contrast, nothing else in the book moves him out of his heavy emotional state. Activities such as visiting the lake with friends or kissing his girlfriend fail to provide the expected joy; they are simply ways to pass the time.

One of the most fascinating aspects of Rusty-James' sense of alienation and emotional homelessness is that no one in their apartment has their own room or even their own bed. The apartment has a cot and a mattress, and Rusty-James, the Motorcycle Boy, and their father sleep on either. "It didn't matter which," says Rusty-James. The reader perceives that three sleeping places are unnecessary because it's rare for all three to be home at once. There is no comfort in their home, very little food, and no consistent routine. Their father shows no concern for their lives, except for a slight curiosity about their escapades, and is entirely emotionally detached, never providing meals, guidance, or a stable presence. As a parent, he is a complete failure; although physically present, he has emotionally deserted both his sons.

Despite his father's failings, Rusty-James still feels some affection for him, "sort of." He decides that he loves Patty, the Motorcycle Boy, and Steve, "sort of." In the end, his father proves to be useless, Patty leaves him, the Motorcycle Boy is killed, and Steve decides he's had enough of the dangerous lifestyle, opting to distance himself from Rusty-James. Rusty-James ultimately finds himself completely alone, just as he was during his childhood.

In the narrative, everyone except Steve is emotionally numb, stuck in a stagnant life with no direction. The Motorcycle Boy is portrayed as a doomed figure, "born in the wrong era, on the wrong side of the river, with the ability to do anything and finding nothing he wants to do," as his father puts it. Moreover, he has become partially deaf and color-blind due to frequent fights and motorcycle mishaps, further isolating him and limiting his potential. He seems uninterested in addressing these issues and almost seems to enjoy the isolation they bring.

Rusty-James is trapped by his blind admiration for the Motorcycle Boy, never considering his past or future. His awareness of the present is primal, devoid of any reflection or thought. He admits to struggling in school, and at times, his awareness seems almost lifeless. When the Motorcycle Boy confides his fear of loneliness, stemming from abandonment as a child, Rusty-James responds with confusion. He states, "What he was saying didn't make any sense to me. Trying to understand it was like trying to see through fog." He seems to exist in this fog, simply passing the days without much deep thinking.

Their father is similarly emotionally distant, more focused on his next drink than his sons. Occasionally, he shows glimpses of insight, such as when he describes the Motorcycle Boy's nature, but he generally views his sons with detachment. For example, when Rusty-James is hurt in a knife fight, he only remarks, "What strange lives you two lead." Instead of addressing the injury or urging Rusty-James to get medical help, he gives him ten dollars and asks the Motorcycle Boy about his trip to California. This clearly indicates that regardless of the situation, the boys are essentially on their own, with their father unwilling or unable to assist or guide them.

In Rumble Fish, the river, often a symbol of life and movement, represents the opposite—stagnation and despair, reflecting the characters' lives. Early on, Rusty-James flicks his cigarette butt into the river, noting its pollution is so severe that his action makes no difference. Later, he comments on the foul smell coming from the river, a result of extreme pollution. The Motorcycle Boy's choice to release the fighting fish into this river is rich with irony—they are likely to die as soon as they enter the contaminated water. This grand yet futile gesture symbolizes how these boys are trapped in their toxic environment.