Erik Erikson's 5th stage of development is Identity versus Role confusion. this stage of psychosocial development is experienced by an adolescent from 12 to 19 years. The adolescent while transforming into a teenager suffers from identity confusion and develop a sense of self-identification. the failure to identify themselves results into role confusion and they may embrace odd things to establish their identity. Jake is also suffering from role confusion and embraces things unusual for his family to establish his identity.
In Igbo language, the literal translation of Ogbanje is "children who come and go". The reasons why the Igbo people of Eastern Nigeria have so much superstition surrounding Ogbanje children are as follows:
1. They do not have any medical or scientific explanations concerning infant mortality. 2. They believe in reincarnation (life after death).
