Supergifted

Daniel Sanderson and Daniel Nussbaum’s perspective provides new insights into both Donovan and Noah. They view Donovan as a source of excitement and adventure—one who engages in unconventional and sometimes mischievous activities that often lead to unexpected outcomes. This jibes with Donovan’s descriptions of himself, but whereas Donovan must always deal with the potential chaos that ensues, his friends can enjoy his unpredictable nature from a safe distance, finding entertainment and amusement in his escapades. Their anecdote about Donovan attempting to adopt a raccoon highlights the same combination of recklessness and compassion that has previously gotten him into trouble (e.g., leaping to defend Noah from Hashtag). Sure enough, the story ends with Donovan having to get painful rabies shots.

The Daniels also reflect on Noah’s unique combination of intelligence and foolishness, presenting him as a complex character who defies conventional categorizations: “You didn’t meet a lot of people who were a genius and an idiot at the same time” (88). The implication is that Noah’s brilliance may hinder his ability to navigate everyday life and engage with ordinary matters. Noah’s reaction to Trussman is an example. Despite Donovan’s warnings, Noah doesn’t understand that Trussman hopes to catch him in a lie. Faced with Trussman repeatedly asking him the same questions, Noah instead assumes he must be bad at his job—specifically, that he does not take notes. Noah’s difficulty with such interactions is among the reasons why Donovan worried about his lie from the start; he knows Noah doesn’t have the resources to keep up this kind of charade.

Noah’s poor performance as the superkid leads Daniel Sanderson and Daniel Nussbaum to criticize his admirers as “gullible.” They find it remarkable that people are so easily swayed by appearances and assumptions that they fail to see the obvious contradictions in Noah’s abilities. To them, it is evident that Noah lacks the physical coordination necessary to be the superkid, as demonstrated by his frequent clumsiness. However, the shift in public perception of Noah highlights how people’s opinions can change based on celebrity status. As Noah gains fame, people no longer criticize his poor cheerleading skills. Instead, they find ways to spin his shortcomings into positive attributes. Donovan observes, “His praying-mantis posture was now ‘laid-back,’ and his whiny voice had become ‘emo.’ He wasn’t short anymore; he was ‘compact’ or ‘feisty.’ And his bizarre personality was described as ‘unique’ or even ‘alternative[]’” (94-95). This shift serves as a commentary on the superficiality of public opinion and the tendency to idealize individuals once they achieve a certain level of fame or recognition, highlighting the arbitrary nature of societal judgments.

Relatedly, these chapters highlight the influence of celebrity culture, where individuals can attain fame solely for their public image rather than their actual achievements. Donovan argues that Noah’s fame is fake because he didn’t do the thing that made him famous. However, Noah disagrees. According to him, there comes a point where fame transcends any specific accomplishment and individuals become famous simply for being famous. With this in mind, he acts as he believes someone famous should act; for instance, he tells his old friend that as a celebrity, he has “to budget [his] time” (108). This highlights fame’s influence on self-perception. Noah’s identity has become inseparable from the fame he has garnered, yet that fame is inherently superficial—based on nothing but itself. As Donovan realizes, Noah is losing sight of his true abilities and accomplishments as he strives to conform to his public image. Noah’s unexpected celebrity thus complicates his character arc, highlighting Dynamics of Identity, Growth, and Self-Acceptance.