The Apartment Building

The narrator writes about growing up among a number of families that all lived in the same apartment building. The building is home to many characters, but the narrator notes that most of the families are working-class, with the patriarchs of each family usually performing manual or blue collar labor. In many ways, the apartment building is its own community, and the narrator is comforted by its familiarity. However, the apartment building is also the site of discord between many residents, specifically between the narrator and his abusive father.

Catholic School

The narrator and his friends attend a Catholic school, where they are educated by priests and nuns and must attend church regularly. The school is where the narrator confronts and questions the figure of Christ, whom he does not fully understand within the context of the Christian tradition. Jackie Rand is a rebellious student at...