Supergifted

Supergifted employs multiple viewpoints to provide a varied perspective on the story’s events. Each first-person narrative conveys different attitudes and emotions, contributing to readers’ overall understanding of the plot and creating a layered narrative experience. This technique also provides insight into various events’ impact on individual characters.

The opening chapter, though narrated by Donovan, functions in large part to introduce the character of Noah. Noah’s social difficulties make him an unwittingly unreliable narrator, so Donovan’s perspective on his friend provides crucial context readers need before encountering Noah directly. Donovan’s opening statement, for example, introduces the paradoxical notion that intelligence does not guarantee wisdom or practicality: “The problem with smart people is this: They can be really stupid 95 percent of the time” (6). Donovan acknowledges that Noah is a genius, emphasizing his exceptional intelligence and accomplishments. However, he implies that Noah’s intelligence has its drawbacks, as evidenced by his unconventional decision to get kicked out of the Academy. Donovan’s exploration of the limitations and complexities of intelligence sets the stage for Noah’s character arc and establishes that intelligence alone does not determine success or fulfilment. Donovan goes on to describe Noah’s physical appearance and demeanor in a unique and memorable manner, referencing his “insect-like posture, [and] grating voice” (8). This further accentuates Noah’s difference from his peers.

However, the opening chapter also provides insights into Donovan, whose narrative voice is witty and often sarcastic. The phrase “He was a wedgie looking for a place to happen” (7), for example, employs metaphor to indicate that Noah is bullied by students at Hardcastle. Similarly, by stating that Noah has a “bull’s-eye painted across his chest. Or he would have, if he’d had a chest” (8), Donovan uses exaggeration to draw attention to the way Noah’s distinctive qualities attract negative reactions: Of course, Noah does not literally lack a chest, but the hyperbole communicates how thin and unmuscled he is. Nevertheless, Donovan’s remarks about Noah are not meanspirited. Donovan even recruits Daniel Sanderson and Daniel Nussbaum to help him protect Noah from bullies. His willingness to protect Noah showcases the depth of their connection and is the novel’s central example of Friendship and Loyalty. Donovan’s interactions with Kandy also show his softer side. Despite Donovan’s sarcastic remarks about Kandy’s intelligence and (lack of) toilet training, Donovan allows Kandy to follow him around and find comfort in his presence.

At the same time, Donovan is characterized as someone who embraces chaos and finds it entertaining: “Chaos [is] kind of my specialty” (14). He views unscheduled breaks and disruptions as opportunities for excitement. This leads to clashes with his strict brother-in-law—the subject of more barbed sarcasm. For example, while Brad insists that high expectations can save lives and are “the greatest gift” one can give (10), Donovan employs sarcasm to express his contrasting viewpoint: “I had high expectations for him, too. I expected him to leave me alone” (10). This statement highlights Donovan’s desire for personal space and pokes fun at Brad’s notion of high expectations as a gift.

Megan’s voice reveals her to be confident, determined, and focused on her role as head cheerleader. Despite being shocked by Ms. Torres’s threat, Megan maintains her composure: She firmly believes that she is the best cheerleader the school has seen in a long time. However, Megan’s self-assurance comes with a judgmental attitude toward others. Though she convinces herself that she is maintaining a “pro-squad” positive mindset by trying to force Noah off the team, her reference to him as a “twerp” immediately afterward undercuts the assertion. She looks down on Noah and doesn’t want him to taint her own reputation.

Noah, on the other hand, is not afraid of judgmental eyes, as evidenced by his embrace of gym class despite his physical ineptitude. His confidence stems in large part from his trouble with social interactions, as he consistently misreads people’s motivations. When someone bullies him into giving up his window seat, for example, he initially defends himself before concluding that the boy did so to spare him getting cold, noting, “The social world at real school could be tricky to navigate. But the people were really nice” (17). The line is an example of dramatic irony, not only because Noah’s conclusion is mistaken but also because he misunderstands the nature of his problem. In reality, Noah’s initial interpretation of the interaction was correct: The “social world” is potentially understandable, but some of the people aren’t nice at all.

Irony is one of several literary devices Korman uses to lend interest and texture to the narrative. “Scramble-scramble-whump, scramble-scramble-whump” is an example of onomatopoeia (12). “He looked like a spider that fell into the toilet and was swimming for his life” is an example of a metaphor that is used to portray Noah’s posture when he engages in physical exercises (25). “Lots of luck explaining this to the lacrosse team” is an example of chremamorphism (25); it uses language that would typically refer to an object—“this”—to refer to a person (Noah). Mrs. Torres’s description of Noah as “not very muscular” is an example of understatement and euphemism (26). These varying forms of figurative language illuminate the different ways in which characters respond to the presence of someone so far outside their usual frame of reference.