Jason's Coming of Age

In Black Swan Green, I think two of the most important chapters are Spooks and Solarium. Both of these chapters focus on the coming-of-age process.
The most obvious test in the chapter Spooks is the one presented by the spooks. Jason must prove that he is capable of joining them. If he passes, he will be able to join their group and move up the social ladder, but if he fails he will stay where he is. This series of tests will determine whether Jason is ready to join the secret society of spooks. But, I think the real test comes when Jason has to decide whether to ditch Dean or to go to his rescue. By passing the Spooks’ test, Jason will finally get a chance to be popular and be friends with all the “cool” kids. But, going to help Dean will ruin any chance of that. Even if he may not climb up in the social ladder, Jason will make a real friend with Dean. Even though Jason doesn’t want to admit it, I think he is more like Dean than he wants to admit it. He would get along better and be happier being friends with Dean than he would with people in Spooks. I think the point of Jason’s coming of age is for him to realize that he doesn’t need to be popular in order to be happy-- he could be fine just being friends with Dean. Because of this, I think Jason made the right choice when deciding to go back to help Dean.
The Solarium chapter is also very important. In this chapter, we see Jason grow as a poet. Additionally, Ms. Crommelynck gives Jason some very important pieces of advice, which I hope he embraces in the rest of the book. This is the first time that Jason gets feedback on his work, which is necessary for him to improve. Ms. Crommelynck also gives him advice on how to be a poet, and not just on how to write poetry. One of the most important things she tells him is that a poet must always be truthful. She pushes Jason to tell her why he is hiding under the pseudonym of Eliot Bolivar. He admits that it’s because he doesn’t want anyone else to find out. In response, Ms. Crommelynck encourages him to let go of his double life and sign his work with his own name.
Both of these chapters teach Jason a good lesson, and I’m curious to see how he uses what he has learned in the rest of the book.

Comments

  1. SophiaApril 18, 2017 at 7:23 PM

    I agree that these two chapters are very important in marking Jason's coming of age process. And Jason is already beginning to use what he learned in "Spooks" in the chapters we have since read. "Spooks" marks the point where Jason begins to value Dean's friendship over what the popular kids think, a skill that becomes especially important in "Maggot" and the following chapters.

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  2. Kathryn DullerudApril 19, 2017 at 7:20 AM

    I do think these chapters are important and set up a stark parallel between his social life and his poetic life in establishing he must be true to himself. However I do believe that each chapter presents its own "coming-of-age" lesson, "souvenirs" and "knife grinder" are in many ways just as important. I think each chapter is supposed to teach him something new and by the end we will see a Jason who has come through a very real coming-of-age experience.

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  3. UnknownApril 20, 2017 at 8:48 AM

    These two chapters offer great examples of Jason's "coming of age" moments, but as the book progresses, we see many more of them unfold. Time and time again, Jason's moral compass overtakes him and he chooses morality over popularity. Though perhaps this is not an ideal course of action for Jason's peace of mind at school, his choosing of what is "right" will take him further in life than popularity ever will.

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  4. UnknownApril 21, 2017 at 12:37 PM

    And I think it is especially interesting in the Solarium chapter because we don't actually SEE the transformation in Jason, but instead we see how much those words have sunk into his consciousness from how he has "written" that chapter. (Sort of like Holden falling asleep while getting lectured in his old teacher's house)

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  5. Ethan English BlogApril 21, 2017 at 1:17 PM

    We talked about this a little in class, but I feel like part of Coming of Age is forming and solidifying relationships. In Spooks, Jason shows that he is a true friend of Moran's, and in Solarium, Jason makes a new confidant and friend with Madame Crommelynck. Jason's relationship with his sister is also changed in a year, from kind of enemies to good friends.

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