How does the main character develop over time?

As he grows up through the story over the span of a decade, Benjamin transforms from a carefree child who loves to play with boats, to a stifled adolescent, to a young man feeling confused about his place in the world. Finally an adult, Benjamin is able to break free of the van Rooyens' grip and take some space by the seaside where he starts to doubt the original story of him being Lukas. Through the help of Nina, along with Barta van Rooyen's ultimate confession, Benjamin receives the clarity necessary to make an informed choice about who he truly wants to be, beyond others' projections of him. Between the van Rooyens and the Komoeties, Benjamin decides that it is the latter family that truly feels like home.