Themes and message

Growing up

The short story “Champagne Flight” by Jill Norris deals with the theme of growing up.

The narrator is 16. However, she tries to appear older than she is. This is suggested to the readers from the first line of the story (p. 14, l. 1). The airplane flight becomes an occasion for her to pretend she is an adult. She is proud of her grown-up appearance: “I was wearing my first real suit (…) My hair was brushed back from my face, because a friend had told me it made me look older. Oh yes…I felt definitely grown-up!” (p. 15, ll. 3-5). Just as she adjusts her appearance to make herself look older, she also adjusts her behavior (p. 15, ll. 12-14). She is impressed by Serena because she looks “quite old, I thought – maybe even forty!” (p. 15, ll. 21-22). Her impression of forty as quite old highlights the...