We can just as easily put "Coming of Age" here instead of transformation, but "Transformation" does just as well. Jack constantly tries to change who he is in This Boy's Life: to put on different masks and pass himself off as something he isn't. Ironically, in the process, he changes his core being far more than any of the masks he wears. He learns to love and appreciate storytelling, he finds he has a knack for writing, and—most importantly—he gets a very good idea of who he really is. Okay, some of that involves low-key hooliganism and some rather ugly habits from Dwight. But it is a transformation… starting before he enters high school and continuing even after Wolff has finished writing the story.
Questions About Transformation
- Does Jack ever settle on a permanent identity? How does his constant attempts to present a false front contribute to who he really becomes?
- Why does Jack need to change who he is? What does he hope to gain by a change like that?
- How much does Dwight affect Jack's transformation? How much does his mom affect it?
- Why don't Jack's friends change the way he does? Or, more accurately, why do they change in different ways?
Chew on This
Jack's transformation is something extraordinary, something that very few other people have ever experienced.
Jack's transformation, though uniquely his own, is typical of teenagers who come of age and could happen to anyone.