How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"I went right along with the story. I even told it myself. It gave me a special kindergarten identity. […] I was living proof that you shouldn't look at an eclipse or you'll go blind. (1.6.10)
Paul has a fake identity, like Superman and Clark Kent. The disguise even involves glasses. (Except, not as cool.) But here's our question: how did Paul know the story was fake?
Quote #5
"I'm not a water boy, Dad. I'm not a team manager. I'm a player" (1.13.39)
The one thing that Paul knows about himself is how good he is at soccer. That part of his identity he's got down pat—but his dad keeps trying to take it away from him.
Quote #6
I could stop trying to be what everyone else is and accept being a freak. They could open a new exhibit, starring me. […] Eclipse Boy, studied by the greatest doctors in Europe but still a mystery to this day. (1.15.62)
Okay, becoming this kind of star would not be helpful. Here, Paul imagines his identity as defined by his difference. He's not a fully rounded person; he's just a defect. (Or what he sees as a defect.)