Relationships with the professor's
This seems to be the main theme in the memoir and Turow goes into great detail discussing the different relationships he formed with the different professors. He notes that Professor Morris was his favorite as he was often nice to students and gave the a free pass when they did not know the answer. Professor Zechman is described as being the professor that confused all the students as he made them consider all hypothetical scenarios. Professor Perini was the main bully as he would insist on picking on his students.
Socratic method of teaching
The book touches on Harvard's long found use of the Socratic method of teaching in the classroom. Professor Perini was notorious for utilizing this method and he would often embarrass students by interrogating them with questions. However, Turow notes that despite his archetypal approach, Perini had an uncanny ability to make students think deeper and challenge their own viewpoints.
Racism
The book also touches on the fact that elite institutions have often lacked in taking on students from a varied and diverse background. It seems to comment on the idea that ethnic students were simply brought in to fill a diversity quota rather than because of their intellect or ambition. One of Turow's friends, Terry Nazarrio, claims he only got in because Harvard thought he was Puerto Rican.
