The Cardboard Kingdom

From the moment he is introduced in the text-free first chapter, Jack adopts the role of the evil Sorceress and positions himself as the arch-villain during play. He constantly treats his younger sister as his “minion” and spends his days causing trouble for the other children. Often, his actions are just a part of the game, but there are also times when he crosses a line, as when he breaks the table in the Dragon’s Head Inn. However, for Jack, the word “evil” is a code for far more than mere villainy, and the deeper nuances of his chosen role are implied during the emotional conversation with his mother in the chapter entitled “The Army of Evil.” His mom’s oblique references to the Sorceress indicate her awareness that Jack is likely someone who has an LGTBQ+ identity, and when she tries to vaguely broach the subject with him, he assumes that she is talking about the fact he is “evil.” His response is genuine and reveals that “evil” is the label he has adopted to define his sense of being different. At this early stage of his life, he simply doesn’t have the vocabulary or conceptual understanding to delve any deeper into his feelings. The label is also telling in that it demonstrates Jack’s subliminal awareness that the way he thinks and feels is viewed as wrong by some portions of society. Thus, for Jack, “evil” symbolizes the tension and confusion he feels about his identity. On one hand, being the Sorceress makes him feel “Magical. And Powerful. And Amazing” (187); but on the other hand, there is a growing consciousness that people may not accept him for who he is. Leaning into the “evil” side of things provides him with a layer of protection against that prejudice and creates an alternative reason for why people reject him: one that is based on his choice rather than his identity.