By leaving his age-related worries behind, Benjamin fully becomes a quintessential young person. After all, young people generally don’t worry about aging and mortality as much as older people do. Therefore, the fact that Benjamin forgets about his concerns once again suggests that his whole way of being is directly tied to whatever developmental stage he’s currently going through. And this, in turn, shows that identity largely depends on the stage of life a person is in. Unfortunately for Hildegarde, though, this means that Benjamin takes on the rather perspective of a stereotypical young man, especially when it comes to romance. Unsurprisingly, this places an even greater strain on their relationship.