Religion
Craig's family devoutly professes Christianity. As a result, Craig leads a fairly sheltered childhood into adolescence. At his parents' urging, Craig attends a Christian summer camp for kids where he is exposed to outside influences which he had never encountered before in his conservative social circles. Raina introduces Craig to lust and temptation like he's never felt it. Naturally he feels the need to experiment with this new attraction.
Infatuation
Craig becomes completely obsessed with Raina over a short period of time. He doesn't turn into a creepy stalker or anything like that, but he is willing to compromise everything his family has taught him in order to win her affections. Stemming from his strict upbringing, Craig is starved for approval; this girl is the perfect object from which to gain that approval. This is not to say that his feelings for Raina are false, but they are understandably excessive due to the overwhelming amplification of hormones, the excitement of being away from home, and his overall inexperience with life.
Bildungsroman
This book is a coming of age story at its purest. While Tompson may be making a commentary on Craig's religious upbringings, he presents the immense change in the boy's life as a result of his romantic pursuits. After meeting Raina, Craig quickly participates in numerous activities in which he would not have previously. His drive to impress her motivates him to seek out even more daring and more foreign experiences which they can share. Finally at her house he makes love to her, the final step in a break from his parents' values. When he returns home, Craig realizes that his knowledge and experiences have changed him so that he no longer feels at home in his parents' house.
