Adolescence is the foremost element of the narrative. The novel features the messiness, complexity, and discovery that mark one’s teen years. Murray hints that this life stage does not end when one grows out of their teens. Rather, people return to the state of adolescence as they continue to learn the hardest lessons of life.

Ruprecht Van Doren enters the narrative in the state of idealism and wonder emblematic of childhood. His life is set toward a clear trajectory: If he maintains his interest in science, he can guarantee a life that resembles that of his hero, Professor Hideo Tamashi. Similarly, Daniel “Skippy” Juster finds himself caught in the whirlwind of first love. He is so enamored by Lori that he can temporarily distract himself from the things that distress him. When he starts talking to her and finds that she likes talking to him too, he is emboldened to pursue a relationship with her.

However, both their personal journeys are threatened by things that are too overwhelming for them to handle. Skippy turns to his relationship with Lorelei “Lori” Wakeham to escape the way he feels about his mother’s illness and his trauma from sexual abuse.