Uni COA - Andrew

After introducing Benji and Reggie's inseparable relationship in the first pages of the novel, we're quickly thrown a curveball as the beginning of Benji's coming-of-age process is signified by the start of high school, and most importantly, separation from Reggie. Throughout their childhood, Benji and Reggie have been recognized as a "matched set"; hence, their collective nickname: Benji 'n' Reggie. However, after they drift apart from each other and become "former twins", Benji starts asking everyone to call him Ben instead of Benji in an attempt to grow up and sever any association with Reggie and their nickname. That being said, after their separation, Reggie seems to adopt the independent and adult-like lifestyle much better than Benji. For example, in the beggining of summer, Benji loiters around at home every day while Reggie is out working at Burger King. In addition, when their friend group is splitting up into teams for the BB gun fight...

Throughout the story, Jason acknowledges three different inner personas he possesses: Hangman, Maggot, and Unborn Twin. Hangman symbolizes Jason's stammer, Maggot represents an infestation of Jason's desire to fit in with the 'cool' kids, and Unborn Twin represents an impossibly ideal version of himself.  In the beginning chapters of the novel, all of Jason's inner personas seem to be working against him, hindering him from being the person that he desires. Most notably, Hangman blocks countless words through Jason's stammer at the most inopportune times, such as when he's trying to say the answer to a ridiculously simple math question, or when he has a fire comeback against Ross Wilcox's historically incorrect statement. However, due to Hangman, Jason just appears like a stupid loser to all his classmates. Meanwhile, Unborn Twin constantly degrades Jason for not being perfect at everything, even telling Jason that he shouldn't have been born, and Ma...