Boy: Tales of Childhood Lesson Plan

Why do you think the family doctor makes an excuse for Dahl so that he can stay home for a few days, even after he realizes Dahl is faking his sickness?

Although the family doctor was the one who actually recommended Dahl's mother send him to boarding school, he empathizes with the fact that young Dahl is homesick and saddened by being away from home for long periods of time for the first time. As students might reflect on from their own experiences going to camp or other times away from home for weeks at a time, it's a difficult adjustment and Dahl is experiencing a lot of understandably jarring feelings in the adjustment process. The doctor, who likely went to...