The New Schoolfellow
- Tom goes back to school and meets Philip Wakem.
- Philip has a hunchback and Tom is uncomfortable around him.
- (Quick Historical Context Lesson: Philip most likely suffered from a condition like scoliosis, or a curving of the spine. Back in this period they weren’t able to medically correct it. A lot of people in this period also disliked people with deformities and thought that they were somehow bad, so Philip would have dealt with a lot of prejudice against him.)
- Philip and Tom are both proud and shy so they don’t say much to each other during their first meeting. It’s all very awkward.
- Tom notices that Philip is not only deformed, but he also looks a bit like a girl. Philip is pale and small and has curly brown hair.
- But Philip is a good artist, and Tom is intrigued by his pictures. So the two finally strike up a conversation over drawing.
- Philip says he taught himself to draw and Tom is impressed.
- It turns out that Philip already knows Latin and he’s at Mr. Stelling’s to learn some more advanced subjects.
- Tom then asks Philip about his dad, which makes Philip uncomfortable.
- The boys discuss school: Philip says he can learn the things he wants to in the future and he’ll just study Latin and stuff for now. Tom likes this plan.
- Philip then impresses Tom with his knowledge of Greek and Roman history and all the cool battles.
- We learn that Philip is fifteen and Tom is nearly fourteen.
- Tom starts talking about fishing and Philip thinks fishing is dumb. The boys are called to dinner before they can argue about it.