Sag Harbor = Neverland?
"My mother looked great. Always this magic happened: as the summer went on, she got younger and younger. The sun tanned her skin to a strong, vital brown, and her thin crow's feet disappeared, ushering an impish twinkle into her eyes" ... "out there, she was a different person. She'd never missed a summer the last forty years. Her friends on the beach were her friends from the old days. Her crew, like me and Reggie had our crew. She wasn't the only one who went back to the start of Azurest, but Sag Harbor worked on her in a way I'd never seen it do other people. There was a part of her that only existed out there. It made her go."
I think this description stands out because Ben describes what happens to his mom as if it's a magical event or something out of a fairytale. It reminded me of a world like Neverland, where the kids never grow up and there are no adults. For the first half of the book, parents are almost entirely absent from their lives. Even Ben's mom isn't really a parent figure when she's in town because, like Ben said, she gets younger and younger.
Sag Harbor also feels kind of like Neverland because time is always ambiguous. Ben's narration skips over entire weeks and focuses on single days, making it seem like they've been in Sag Harbor for longer than they actually have. Like Neverland, the kids in Sag Harbor have their groups that they get into trouble with, sometimes at their own expense, like when Ben get's shot in the eye with the BB gun.
If Sag Harbor is Neverland, then I guess Ben's dad would kind of be like Captain Hook. He's one of the only adults and could be considered the main antagonist. Unlike Ben's mom, he seems immune to the youthful effect Sag Harbor has on people.
I don't know if there's really a point to this metaphor, I just think it's interesting how similar the two worlds are. :)
I really like this metaphor! Sag Harbor definitely feels like a different world, both to us and to Benji. It feels like a return to childhood for Benji's mom, as this is the place she grew up in and probably had many of her most cherished memories, which is just like how Neverland represents childhood. This is a really great analogy and it shows the transcendence of Sag Harbor and its magical effect.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really great comparison. I think the general atmosphere of having the freedom of summer and being alone with friends is a feeling that this book captures very well. On top of that I think you do a great job comparing that feeling to an almost fantastical level, which is certainty support by the text. I think the clash of this youthful fantasy and the real world problems of his family is what makes this book very compelling for me.
ReplyDeleteI do think there is something magical about returning to a place that signifies happiness to Benji's mom. Whether or not it's supernatural, the effect of context-dependent recall is that if she'd always made happy memories in Sag Harbor, she will always be tied to those feelings when she comes back. I think there's also something to be said for the effect of lessened responsibilities. The point of vacations is to feel less stressed, which is probably most of what Mrs. Cooper experiences here. Great post!
ReplyDeleteNice post! I like this unique comparison between Sag Harbor and a fantastical island. I definetely agree they have lots of similarities, especially the lack of adult presence which allows the kids to grow and learn on their own. The ambiguous time and lack of reliable narration also make Sag Harbor seem kind of magical and like it's a figment of imagination. This comparison really brings a different perspective to the story.
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