Posted by Robert Hill on February 22, 2002 at 20:39:57 from 195.92.194.15:
In Reply to: Re: Nancy Blackett posted by David Shelton on February 21, 2002 at 08:25:58:
Despite the absence of overt evidence of adolesence in the books,
I have always suspected that John has an incipient crush on Nancy, arising
primarily from admiration for her seamanship. I think that with part
of his mind he hopes/fears/believes that she is better than him.
The idea that a girl could be more skilful than him, at the very things
that he most wants to be good at himself, is new and frightening/
thrilling, and arouses proto-sexual feelings in him. One place where
I think this is most evident is the early chapters of Swallowdale, in
relation to Horseshoe Cove.