Finding One’s Identity

The novel examines how finding one's identity is not the same journey for everyone. As Bug and Moira prepare to enter middle school, they both search for their identity, a search that takes them in two different directions. Moira suggests to Bug that they need to make a fresh start in middle school. Moira’s idea of making a fresh start is being more feminine and mature. She pressures Bug to do the same. At the same time, Uncle Roderick’s ghost is encouraging Bug to herself, pushing her to discover that she is a transgender male.

Moira encourages Bug to make a change in herself in time for the beginning of middle school. When Bug tries to argue starting middle school is not really as important as Moira makes it out to be, Moira argues: “Come on, do you want middle school...