Chapter Six, Adolescence Summary and Analysis

When Daniel is ten years old and ready to begin secondary school, his father becomes very ill. His father suffers from a series of mental breakdowns for a period and is repeatedly hospitalized. His illness puts a strain on family finances and relationships, but as quickly as the illness began, it seems to disappear. Following Daniel's father's return to health, the final two children are born to the family: two girls, which made a total of eight children.

Secondary school brings a whole new set of difficulties for Daniel. Instead of staying in the same room all day, he must now move to a different classroom for each lesson. He must also purchase his lunch in the dining hall and learn to ride public transportation to and from school. After several anxious moments during the first days...