Chapter 2 Summary

There is only one black family in Andover, but by the fourth grade, Paul recalls his peers telling racial jokes. Jewish slurs are whispered about his friend, Peter Goodman and Paul confirms that bigotry must be taught, since children are not born with this kind of hatred. Despite the prejudice that exists toward gays, he tries not to hate Catholics, taking assurance in the fact that God hates sin and not the sinner.

Paul witnesses Vinnie O'Connor, a sixth grade bully, pin a small, nerdy boy named Austin Singer up against the wall and viciously call him a homo, punching him each time. Vinnie and his friends laugh as they hold Austin down. Vinnie spits on the wall beside Austin and forces the boy to lick his phlegm off the wall and swallow it. Content after this, the group of boys run off...