Who is Benji? Why is he going to Sag Harbor? Why does the first chapter discuss Benji's eighth grade year of school? How does it compare to his most recently completed year of school? What happened at the party Benji describes in Chapter 1? How has that episode helped to shape Benji's life up to this point? How does it highlight his recent disappointments?

Who is Reggie? Why does Reggie work so much? How does he get along with his father? What are the causes of some of the tensions in their home? How does Reggie deal with it? How does Benji deal with it? How does their mother respond to their father's fits of anger? Why does she respond this way?

Who is Elena? Why does she rarely come home anymore? Why does she suggest to Benji that he get out of the house...