In Craig Thompson’s graphic novel Blankets, Craig recounts his youth but in particular, his short, but passionate, love affair with Raina. Craig grew up in a traditional Christian house household with strict parents. Though he grew up studying the Bible and generally identified as a Christian, he was always uneasy with his faith and had trouble reconciling many aspects of the Bible and the Christian community that existed around him. As part of his Christian upbringing, Craig attended church camp. There he befriended a group of misfits which included his future first love Raina. They instantly found a connection with each other and promptly became enthralled with each other. Shortly after Church camp they began writing each other and became closer as a couple. Eventually Craig goes to stay with Raina and her family for two weeks. This is when their relationship reaches its zenith and they spend the weeks in a romantic haze together. After their two weeks with each other, Raina breaks up with him due to a myriad of personal reasons. Regardless of the brevity of their romance, his relationship with Raina allowed him to realize his radical freedom and was the conduit by which he was able to live …show more content…
This ascension to the realization of personal freedom began as early his letter correspondence with Raina. During this correspondence, he defies the rules of his institution by masterbating to a letter that Raina wrote. He seems ashamed of his actions after he throws away the paper he orgasmed on; this was one of the first major defiances of the institution that he lives by. In other words, she is the enabling factor which allows him to live more authentically by defying the organization that he shackles himself to. As their relationship develops and they become closer, he begins to make his own decisions, thus embracing his