How can the novella be seen as a lesson in persistence? Pick a major character and trace their narrative arc through this lens.

Why might Robert Cormier have chosen to make Mr. Hairston so unambiguously evil, rather than a character with mixed flaws and virtues? What does Cormier imply about his motivations?

On several occasions Henry keeps secrets from his mother. Does the novel suggest he is justified in doing so? How does this relate to the theme of The Inadequacy of Language?