Dear Mr. Henshaw Identity Quotes

Leigh starts out being a boy who doesn't stand out, even in his own mind, as the best or worst at anything. He describes himself as not anything special, not the smartest but not "stupid." It's important that the reader know this at the beginning because the story is about growing up and developing an identity. In the end, Leigh realizes he's got some special qualities after all.

Who am I? It's a big question in most kids' minds. Leigh is not sure whether he is or isn't a loner by nature, but he's fairly confident that he's invisible. He doesn't know why.

Leigh desperately wants to feel better about himself. As a "medium" kid, he feels overlooked and alone. If the kids at school saw him riding high with Dad, he might stand out a little, maybe even find a friend.

In the world of writing, this is called "voice," and Leigh is struggling to find his. He's smart enough to know when his work sounds like someone else's, so the next step is to figure out who he is, both in real life and as a writer. When we're forming an identity as we grow up, a big part of that is emulating people we admire, trying on different identities for size until we put it all together and find one that fits.

Leigh is wrestling with some tough stuff right now. What is it about him that makes him unlovable to Dad? Did he get in the way of his mom's dreams? He eventually understands that his dad is like he is regardless of Leigh, and that Mom was ready for a change. But at this point, he's struggling to understand his place in life and in his family.

Leigh's dad calling him "kid" has always upset him. It's like it's been bottled up inside and the top has popped off and Leigh finally expresses it. He wants his dad to see him for who he is—Leigh, his son, a boy he knows and loves.

Generally, the way people act identifies them: a girl who swims all the time and wins medals gets known as a champion swimmer; the boy who drop kicks random lunches down the hall will be identified as a bully or a troublemaker. Mr. Fridley has been at the school a long time and understands kids and human nature. He knows Leigh is smart and capable, so when he sees him starting down the wrong path, he stops him. He doesn't want him to get a reputation as a bad kid.

Leigh goes from zero to hero and figures out he's not so bad after all. The thing is, he doesn't make the jump all at once and the change doesn't happen because he goes searching for it. Instead, he's on a mission to protect his lunch, and in the process of solving one problem (being robbed), he ends up changing how he feels about himself. You can't just think your way into feeling good about yourself. When you succeed at something, understand something, or when when people treat you well—that's what gives you confidence.

This says a lot about Leigh's character. Imagine what it'd be like if he knew—maybe he'd be angry and that would turn to a giant lump of bitterness sitting in the pit of his stomach. Maybe he'd want revenge and it would consume him and he'd be on his way to becoming a super villain. He doesn't want to be that guy. This helps him let go and continue being the nice kid we know he is.

Having Mrs. Badger, a published author, identify him as an author helps him to believe that he really is one. That's a new identity, one that's really important to him.