A teenage boy from a modest suburb is sent to a New England boarding school, where he navigates school discipline, classmates' rivalries, friendships, and athletic competition. The story tracks classroom examinations, field events, personal setbacks and episodes titled Blindness that test his character and judgment. Family concerns—especially his parents' apprehension and the temporary separation from a younger brother—provide a domestic counterpoint to school life. Through mentorship, trials, and social tests, he gradually matures, learns responsibility, and reaches a clearer moral and practical understanding of his future.