Would you say that Saul has escaped persecution by leaving St. Jerome’s and entering this town? Explain your answer.

No, at first, Virgil, the Moose’s captain, sits Saul down to warn him about his first day—the other players will be hostile because of Saul’s youth and size, and because he’s from out of town. Indeed, in the first scrimmage, once Saul switches from watching from afar to joining the match, his teammates aggressively target him, knocking him onto the ice repeatedly and mocking him when he falls. Saul, however, adapts and uses his speed and dexterity to his advantage, and by the end of the day is accepted as part of the team.