Sag Harbor: The Least Depressing Coming of Age Novel
Sag Harbor is definitely unique compared to the other novels we read for this class. Where The Bell Jar and Fun Home center their narratives around the deepest and darkest aspects of the protagonists coming of age, Sag Harbor emphasizes a more holistic view of Benji’s time over the summer. That is not to say that the intermittent tales and references to Benji’s abusive fathers and familial unrest are not distressing and vital to the tale; it is instead a compliment to Colson Whitehead for making such a genuine coming of age tale. Sag Harbor reads as an immersive and somewhat all inclusive story much in the way that modern coming of age films feel (think The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lady Bird, etc.). These films also explore deep personal familial issues but have a lighter air about them. In Sag Harbor we see many scenes of Benji and his friends talking shit, hanging out, and working at their, not so great or professional, summer jobs.
The youthful imagery and slightly more pleasant atmosphere of Sag Harbor is ultimately what makes it so effective. The reader can really feel for Benji because we see him as so much more than his struggles: we really get to see him as a kid.
I think the relatively more light hearted nature of Sag Harbor is what makes the novel so effective. Take for example the hair-patting incident and Benji’s eventual “revenge”. Neither of these actions are violent or deeply malicious, yet we see the underlying themes of racism and social divides. While there is most definitely a place for the more outward depictions of conflict in literature, I find it refreshing to see a more subtle critique of important social disparities.
The same can be said about the BB gun fight. At the end of the chapter “Gangsters” when Ben mentions his friends from Sag Harbor and their fates in reference to gun violence, a seemingly mild event resonates far deeper.
Olly, your blog title seems to ring true, because I must agree that you are right here. Whitehead's writing is super subtle in its tackling of themes, which provides an arguably deeper novel on the whole. It feels more intentional than the books that were clearly written to be discussed (I won't name names. But I don't mean any of the books we read in Coming of Age), and it also feels more effective. Perhaps part of that youthful air is also from the nostalgia of the 80s. Epic job!
ReplyDeleteHi! I think the idea that Benji's so earnestly young and summery atmosphere contributes to the light-hearted coming of age is really interesting. On the other hand I think the light-heartedness of it brings depth to chapters like "To Prevent Flare Ups" with its juxtaposition. I wonder if it's really coming of age though if it stays youthful, maybe the coming of age happens outside of the novel when Benji really becomes Ben and begins to tell this story..?
ReplyDeleteHi Olly, I defintely agree the mood of Sag Harbor is more playful compared to the mood of the several other books we read in class. I do think Sag Harbor has a way of discussing some negative topics in an innocent kind of way you wont realize immediatly based on the setting and originally vibe the book of being Benji hanging out with his friends. But I do think most of the novel was Benji remebering his childhood and he included the best of his days and the worst but they still make a part of who he is.
ReplyDeleteYou nail something important about this novel, and that's the ambiguity of its tone. While we do get into some pretty dark territory at times (the scene with Benji's dad teaching him "lessons" about how to deal with microaggressions at school is hard for me to read aloud, but important), overall the tone is pretty light. Whitehead often undercuts a potentially serious line with one that is more of a joke, and he often diffuses some potential real tensions (the discussion about whether or not Martine is racist) with self-deprecation (depicting himself as indecisive, stuck between his two friends, totally baffled about what to do or how to proceed). On the whole, I'd say "Ben" seems like a pretty easy-going guy--he can depict his younger self really going through it, at times suffering, but he knows he's turned out more or less okay. So he has this distance from the struggles: there's an old cliche, "comedy equals pain plus time," and maybe that applies to this surprisingly comic novel.
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