Especially notable amongst their number is 17-year-old Raina, a beautiful girl from Michigan. Disappointed when this does not materialize, he does manage to find a group of fellow outsiders to hang out with. One winter, Craig goes to church camp, hoping for a different social dynamic than the one he faces at school. This is a major source of guilt and inner conflict for Craig. Craig has been raised to believe that the Bible is the literal word of God, and that it’s beyond question or refutation. Craig and Phil’s family, revealed to be religious to the point of near fanaticism, regularly make Craig feel guilty for the things he draws and for not putting more effort and attention into serving God. Unfortunately, the hobby is little encouraged by those around them. He tries to comfort himself by forcing himself to feel grateful for what he has, but he finds his greatest happiness at night in dreams.Ĭraig’s other joy in life and his creative outlet is drawing, a talent he shares with his brother. He never brings himself to actually go through with it, however. Feeling alone and unhappy, Craig becomes infatuated with the idea of running away he thinks about it all the time. On top of this, his parents are unsympathetic, and his father is abusive and terrorizes the boys to keep them in line. Home life isn’t always a respite: A male babysitter sexually abuses both brothers, and Craig later feels intense guilt for not being able to protect his little brother. He is ceaselessly tormented by bullies at school, beaten up on a regular basis, and derided publicly. The early novel also details Craig’s unhappy relationship with his peers. As it begins, Craig and Phil are crowded uncomfortably into a single bed they’re unhappy about it aside from the times that they use their imagination to construct fantastical scenarios in their bed together. The first part of the novel concentrates on the relationship between Craig and his younger brother, Phil. Blankets takes place in Wisconsin, USA and in Michigan, USA.

Craig thompson books