The Deep End

Greg’s narrative and experience is defined by the fact that he is a middle-schooler, a middle child, and on top of it all, Greg is shy and non-confrontational. Much of the story’s humor and pathos derive from the fact that Greg resents the confines of his childhood and fears the prospect of growing up, a relatable conflict for a middle-schooler. He is often left out, forgotten, or left to figure things out on his own as his parents are always preoccupied with Manny. When Greg is sent to the public showers, he dreads the thought of showering next to other people, but what makes it even worse is when Greg’s shower stall is stolen mid-wash. He chooses to say nothing, and it is a testament to the way that children are often treated as invisible or unseen, and not given the same respect that adults might be given in a similar situation. Greg is walked on not only by his peers it seems, but by adults as well. The boys that Greg meets at Campers’ Eden seem questionable right away due to their propensity for physical aggression, but their lack of trustworthiness becomes truly known later when they use Greg as a scapegoat for their poor decision. Rather than speak up about it or take the blame, Greg attempts to hide from the situation. As the vacation continues, tensions rise in Greg’s family and Greg himself becomes increasingly desperate to spend time alone. The pull between the need for society and solitariness is resonant for pandemic-era readers, when both stimuli outside the family and privacy within were in short supply. The novel, as Greg’s journal, becomes quite literally his place of private escape and his means to communicate to a wider world.

Greg’s family doesn’t live up to the expectations of society either, and the Heffleys always seem to hang on the edge of things, never fully immersed or involved with the people around them. Greg depicts this contrast with two drawings as he discusses his mother’s need to compare the Heffleys to families on social media. In the first drawing, two smiling parents sit with their kids as they blow bubbles in a picture-perfect moment. In the second drawing, the Heffleys attempt to pose for a photograph but can’t manage to find their balance and end up covered in mud. This is Greg’s “lot in life,” and he always seems to get the worst of it. The camping trip seems to be one mishap after another, and the trip fails to meet Greg’s and his mother’s Managing Expectations of the wilderness until it is almost too late. Despite everything that goes wrong, Greg’s mother insists on Appreciating Family while it is still around, and doesn’t give up on making the trip a success.

Since the vacation is filled with mishaps, humorous moments, and semi-predictable consequences, a middle-grade reader can not only easily grasp its material but read it with ease and enjoyability. There is nothing overly complex going on, and nothing to confuse or add unnecessary layers to the story or its characters. Each page ends with a period, so a young reader can stop any time, and the lack of set chapters creates a sort of continuum that is less potent when plot points are separated into chapters. Kinney’s intent to create a humorous piece of fiction that remains light and without any overly dramatic or serious consequences makes it a reliable and easy read.