In the novel Reef, there is a series of events that mark Triton's (the protagonist) coming of age. To understand Gunesekera's novel, the reader must pay attention to these events and consider how these events shaped and affected the protagonist's life. In the novel, Triton occupies an insider/outsider status in the Salgado household, which is instrumental in many of the events that lead to his coming of age. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The rapidly developing relationship between Mr. Salgado and Ms. Nilli becomes a catalyst for change in the Salgado household. At this point, Ms. Nilli has already moved into the house and is staying in Mr. Salgado's room. The beginning of the chapter (“A Thousand Fingers”), from which the given excerpt comes, begins with Triton saying: “A few days later, Mrs. Nilli moved in. For us, it was the start of a new era. » (Gunesekera 103) With the presence of Mrs. Nilli a world of change opens. A female presence in the house greatly changes Mr. Salgado's attitude, he becomes more relaxed and smiles much more than usual. “He was smiling. He leaned back and his face seemed to relax and become something much larger than before. (Gunesekera 105). “His shirt was twisted on one side as if he had touched it. I didn't do anything about it. (Gunesekera 105) Triton allows Mrs. Nilli to take the lead in some aspects of Mr. Salgado's care, he says very eloquently that she can handle things of this nature. Ms. Nilli's influence allowed Mr. Salgado to become much more outgoing and sociable. He became something of a socialite, hosting parties and gatherings at his home. It becomes evident in this chapter that the couple are very comfortable with each other and are not afraid to show affection in the comfort of their home. The arrival of Mrs. Nilli brings about a change in the dynamics of the Salgado household, it is no longer “our world”. Triton manages to maintain an insider/outsider status in the Salgado household. He has “insider” status because he lives and works in the house, which allows him to have access to information he would not normally have access to. Triton unfortunately also becomes a "stranger" in the house because he is not a social equal to Salgado or any of the other people who attend Mr. Salgado's social gatherings. He's a servant, not a friend of Mr. Salgado. Triton is always “inside” the house but his presence is sometimes overlooked, constantly reminding us that he is not one of them. In this chapter, we notice a trend in terms of Triton's insider/outsider status. He no longer wants to participate in the activities of the house, he prefers to be an "outsider" and this happens constantly in this chapter. A clear example of this is when Triton goes out, away from everyone, and ignores Tippy's calls for another beer. He doesn't want to engage with these people and wants them gone. Triton becomes disillusioned, realizing that all is not well in the Salgado house. The question of Triton's demotion in the house arises. Tippy starts calling him “Kolla” again instead of his first name. This is an indication of Triton's change in status, becoming an "outsider" again. Tippy asked, “Where the hell is that bastard, Triton?” (Gunesekera 123) once again, Triton is not respected. We now view Triton as inferior and Salgado and his friends as superior, although we knew this had always been the case, it was never emphasized so blatantly. Triton's unease constantly manifests itself in his actions...