If Turtle hadn’t known, she could have told that Martin had the gun just from the way he wore his flannel, just from the way he took his seat, but neither Principal Green nor Anna thinks of it; they do not even know such things are possible, and Turtle wonders if there are things that she is blind to that other people can see, and what those things might be.
-- Narrator (Chapter 1)

Importance: Even though Turtle knows that neither Anna nor Principal Green are aware, Turtle senses that her father has brought his gun to a meeting at school. The fact that he brings his gun with him suggests that Martin is suspicious and believes that he might need to protect himself with violence. Turtle wonders if there are things that she is as blind to in the same way that Anna and Principal Green are blind to the fact that her...