Adulthood

Due to Riggle’s age and personal circumstances, the prospect of adulthood becomes increasingly immediate for him, and thus his character arc can be described in part as a coming-of-age story. The novel defines the base of this character arc as being youthful aimlessness and exploration, thereby illustrating the base state in which youth begin as they approach adulthood. At one point, Riggle states in narration, “I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself” (55). Riggle is still quite young, and so he is still developing his interests and trying to choose something as a vocation. However, he is almost a legal adult, and due to Joe’s death, Riggle has no remaining family members. Thus, Joe is adrift in multiple senses. On the upside, Riggle is portrayed as a curious and determined individual. He has nascent interests such as cooking and philosophy, and...