“These jokes the world plays, they're not funny at all.”
- David Mitchell, Black Swan Green
Jason Taylor's story seems to be the most intelligible coming-of-age we have seen in this class so far. In the course of a year, Jason's perspective on the world transforms tremendously, and his own world at home and school changes completely. I couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy when the final scene ended with Jason's reminiscing on his life a year before. This reflection really put into perspective the amount of events that Jason confronted in his thirteenth year of living. It seems to me that his coming-of-age was not a joyful occasion or period in his life, a trend that we have seen in most of the novels we have read. So, is this transition to adulthood something negative? Or is there more to be gained than lost?
Before Jason's supposed "maturing," his life doesn't appear to be particularly delightful, at least from his narration. Of course, most of his issues revolve around the boys at his school, and the complicated social politics which Jason must navigate with his secrets. Reading these chapters, it is east to be frustrated by how extremely concerned he is about how he is perceived. To a more mature audience, the tension brewing between his parents and the tragedy of the war is far more alarming than this social battle. However, as the novel progresses, so does Jason's awareness of the conflicts that surround him. This evolution can be seen in his reactions to both the Falkland's War and the tension within his household. Previously, Jason had been fascinated by the war, and was inclined to believe the propaganda of the Daily Mail. Later however, he becomes unsure of who to believe and his optimism about the war diminishes to anger. He says, “Me, I want to bloody kick this moronic bloody world in the bloody teeth over and over till it bloody understands that not hurting people is ten bloody thousand times more bloody important than being right." (Mitchell 118).
Nevertheless, while Jason has lost the ability to be blissfully unaware of his parents' conflict, he also gains a comradery with his sister, Julia. He previously portrayed his relationship with Julia as very turbulent and often cruel. Then, in light of their parent's issues, Jason ends up forming an "alliance" with Julia and he later has actual meaningful conversations with her. In addition to this strengthened bond, Jason also seems to develop a sense for his own moral values. Where before Jason had been willing to do anything to fit in, we gradually witness the qualms he has about certain decisions, and how they affect him. For example, he has the chance to get revenge on Ross Wilcox by keeping his wallet, but his consciousness keeps bothering him about it. Ultimately, Jason returns the wallet, even though he does not benefit from this act. Instead we see that Jason is beginning to understand the complexities of justice, and his own morals.
For the most part, Jason's coming-of-age could be a bittersweet story about the loss of innocence. But I think it is also a reflection on the development of self identity as you transition to adulthood. His newfound confidence and knowledge is only the basis for the rest of his life. As Julia says, "It'll be all right...because it's not the end."
