Superficiality in Sag Harbor

Sag Harbor explores superficiality of relationships and the importance of depth. “We were a Cosby family, good on paper,” (Whitehead, 192). This quote opens a horrific chapter about observing and avoiding the abuse that occurs in Benji’s household by his father, onto everyone. This chapter explores that theme of “good on paper” with the haircuts too. Benji’s father always gave them haircuts, and they always looked perfect all padded down (Whitehead, 195). Still, they ended up wild messes, because he insisted on the old fashioned method (scissors), pushed down only for a moment as it’s sculpted for perfection. This in itself is a superficial thing– the haircut– but even more so are the superficial interactions that led to no one pointing out the messy hair until Clive. 

Overshadowing his father’s supposed love for barbequing (and his performance to the neighbors of a good barbequer) are the plates. Those cheap plates that Benji’s mother was supposed to replace with real plates (Whitehead, 226)– a superficial complaint, really, especially when they’d been using them for months. But the nature of abuse is explosive and the reasons for anger are performances– superficial. 

“Shithead,” (Whitehead, 193) That’s what their father called Reggie for a year (‘because’ of Cs). The name had power, and so does the name Ben instead of Benji. Benji seems to be married to this idea of someone seeing past his braces, past his flaws, and loving the real him; “But what of the essential me beneath everything?” (274). He figured if someone really liked him those things wouldn’t matter. Along came Melanie. She remembered him for who he was. She saw him. And she called him Ben (Whitehead, 286). Superficiality is conquered. 


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