In this chapter, we learn that Henry has decided to attend a prep school in order to become a writer. He's not sure if he wants to go to a four-year college or a two-year school, but he's determined to do what's best for him. He asks his mentor if college is really necessary for a writer, and his mentor responds that it isn't necessary for writers, but that it's a "grace period of sorts" in which students build their self-worth and learn how to make a living.