cadi's english blog!

     Throughout Sag Harbor , we see Benji striving to grow up at the same pace as his peers but at the same time, he always seems to be trying to hold onto his past. From the first chapter, it's clear that Benji outwardly aspires to reinvent himself as "Ben", a cool and confident kid who's up to date with trends. However, he also seems like he's just a kid at his core, insisting on riding his too-small bicycle and sticking to other old traditions. His relationship with Reggie also reflects his "kid at heart" perspective since at the beginning, he still sticks to Reggie somewhat but separates from him as he matures and learns throughout the summer. The way he sticks to tradition and doesn't stray outside of his comfort zone at this point makes me think he doesn't actually seem ready to grow up.     Sag Harbor itself may be part of the reason why Benji finds it hard to make bolder moves to come of age. He sees Sag as the setting of many childhood m...

      Hugo and Holly Deblin are two of the characters in Black Swan Green who seem like they couldn't be more different, but both help shape Jason into who he becomes by the end of the novel. Despite their clearly contrasting personalities, Hugo and Holly also have similarities underlying their differences that help Jason figure out what type of person he wants to be.      The most obvious similarity I noticed between Hugo and Holly is that they both seem eager to act as "mentors" to Jason and give him advice on growing up. Hugo and Holly both appear at points in the novel where Jason seems particularly insecure about himself, and both jump in to help. Beyond that, however, the similarities between Hugo and Holly largely end. Hugo and Holly both enter Jason's situation as friends but Hugo does so with selfish purposes in mind, whereas Holly is genuinely curious and concerned for Jason's well-being amidst getting bullied. These intentions are evident ...