Chapters 29-30

I read 17 pages.

"Some boys," Jorge said in a thin, almost wheedling voice that sent chills down Matt's back, "some boys have to learn the hard way. They have to be broken and mended and broken again until they learn to do what they're told. It may be simple, like sweeping a floor, but they do it eagerly to keep from being broken again. And they do it forever, for as long as they live."

"In other words, you want to turn me into a zombie," said Matt.

"No!" several voices cried out.

"How dare you accuse me of that!" Jorge reached for the cane. (page 302)

I love how Matt tells him straight up what he thinks, and even though it's partly true, Jorge acts like Matt said something wrong. Since the Keepers from the orphanage told them he was an aristocrat, the Keepers from the plankton factory didn't like met before they even met him. This just adds to their dislike of him, even though Matt is just pointing out what they're basically doing.

Chapter 29 Summary: Matt wants to know why everyone is calling him the aristocrat, and Chacho tells him it's because of the way he speaks and how he acts. Matt has a bigger vocabulary, thinks more, and has better manners than the other boys. Before bed, Jorge talks to the kids about how if a door is always being opened and closed, it won't stick because the hinges won't rust. He describes the workers as the doors, meaning if they work hard and don't goof around, they won't get "rusty" like the door hinges. Jorge asks Matt how to keep your mind clean, and Matt says that you need to use your brain all the time to keep your mind clean. He didn't like Matt's answer, so Jorge says that self-criticism is how to keep your brain clean. A kid named Ton-Ton answers the question correctly, by telling everyone something wrong he did then saying how he should be punished for it. The other children start doing this too, which I thought was really crazy and strange. When it was Matt's turn to confess something, he says that he has done nothing wrong. This angers Jorge, and he starts saying everything that Matt has done wrong. Fidelito tries to stick up for Matt, but Jorge insults him too. The other boys, except for Chacho and Fidelito, start insulting Matt and saying what he has done wrong. Matt had thought the boys had liked him and were his friends, but that obviously wasn't true. He begins to think about Maria, Tam Lin, and Celia. His thoughts were about how they love him and saw him as a real boy. Matt realizes he has Chacho and Fidelito, and that is all he needs right now.

Chapter 30 Summary: One day, Matt and Chacho go investigate something in the distance and discover a huge pit filled with giant bones. Chacho also sees a human skull in the pit. The boys decide to leave before one of them falls in, and they didn't want to leave Fidelito alone too long. When they get back to Fidelito, who didn't go because of the long walk, they explain the bones to Fidelito. He tells Matt and Chacho that they are whale bones. Matt also begins to get used to the "self-criticism" insults he receives every night from the other boys. Although one night, Jorge turns against Ton-Ton when Matt says he has done nothing wrong. Jorge accuses Ton-Ton of stealing from the Keepers and punishes him. He tells Ton-Ton to "assume the position" and selects a cane to beat him with. After waiting a few seconds, Jorge runs after him, and beats Ton-Ton several times. Jorge says that some kids must be repeatedly taught to be good, but sometimes they have to be taught the "hard" way. Matt knows Jorge is doing this to intimidate him. After all, the beating is so bad that Ton-Ton has to be taken to the infirmary when Jorge is done. Matt still refuses to confess to doing something wrong, so Jorge threatens to beat him. Of course, Matt talks back and accuses Jorge of turning the kids into zombies, causing Jorge to become even more furious. Fidelito stands up for Matt and says that he will confess for him. Knowing that Fidelito wouldn't survive a beating, Matt confesses and gets into the same position Ton-Ton was forced to get into. After beating Matt really badly, Jorge exits. All of the boys cheer Matt on for saying what he did to Jorge. Matt is taken to the infirmary, where Ton-Ton is, and falls asleep after he was given laudanum.