“I am constantly having to play catch-up with guys who’ve spent the past five years speaking three languages, visiting Europe, and reading all the right books."
Cedric feels isolated and alienated at university as he is from a completely different economic background from the majority of students. He finds some comfort in the fact that his professor Wheelock had a similar upbringing and had some of the same experiences at university. When speaking about his experiences, Wheelock comments on the fact that he must play "catch-up" with the other students, as they had a more privileged upbringing. This is something Cedric can relate to, and it makes him feel more comfortable about his experiences.
"I hope you are as pleased to get this letter as I am to send it to you. You have been admitted to the 232nd class to enter The College of Brown University."
This is an extract from the letter Cedric receives from Brown university, confirming his acceptance. This is exciting news for Cedric, as it is something he has been working incredibly hard for. University is his next step on his journey towards self-discovery and academic development, and it means a lot for him to be admitted.
"Come on now, I know Ballou. Some guys in the joint came from Ballou, and I have a cousin who's a teacher there. Ballou's no place for students."
Here, Cedric describes his high school, saying "Ballou's no place for students." He has concluded this due to his own experiences there, and the poor education he received. Although teachers supported him and helped him as much as they could, the school simply didn't have the resources to educate their students properly. Cedric realizes this when he attends a programme at MIT, and he is far behind the other students in terms of progress.
