Hangman's villain role in Black Swan Green
The Antagonist of Black Swan Green: Hangman There are multiple antagonists in Black Swan Green that serve a different obstacle for Jason Taylor to beat in his coming-of-age narrative. Neal Brose, Ross Wilcox, his dad, and even Badger are all external forces that Jason eventually overcomes, making him more confident in the process. But more complex are the internal antagonists that Jason experiences: Maggot, Unborn Twin, and most importantly, Jason's stammer, 'Hangman'. The first time the reader is introduced to Hangman is without any context; Jason brings it up in the narration without explanation, "I wanted to say "Nothing" but Hangman decided not to let me" (Mitchell 5). Jason doesn't explain his inner voices until later, which I believe is a narrative choice to show that he's been dealing with them for a long time, and in his "post-Hangman" life he's become used to fighting his stammer. 'Hangman' is an appropriate name ...