Immaturity

The novel explores the idea of immaturity. Joey is thirty years old, but he cannot somehow gain maturity. He cannot leave behind the little brat that lives inside himself, and he cannot deny it as a part of himself. Pimko plays on this self-acknowledged immaturity, which makes Joey easy to manipulate. Joey lacks confidence, and he can't stand up to Pimko's manipulations. Joey, who already is in part a child, is easily turned into a child. He fits in well at the boys' school.

The teachers at the school all prey on immaturity. They use their authority to make the boys remain childish. When the boys rebel against maturity, they make themselves even more immature. Kneadus, in his swearing, his attack on Syphon, and even in his search for the farmhand, is stuck in immaturity. The least immature characters seem to be the schoolgirl and Kopyrda. Both these...