... It is evident from the way he uses argument that he is unusually articulate for his age, and this is a reflection of both his natural intelligence and his strong preference for adult company. The fact that his mother has told him "about geniuses" makes it clear that she has high ambitions for him. This is reinforced by the fact that she: "Worried herself endlessly finding answers to my questions". Miss Cooney, however, plays an important role in encouraging and 'feeding' the boy's sense of himself as someone 'special'. Although a very eccentric and even unstable woman, she recognises his intelligence and, by making her "religious books" freely available to him, seeks to plant and foster the growth of the idea that he will grow up to be a priest. The boy himself is not particularly enthusiastic about this prospect but he very much likes the attention she gives him ...

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