Is Will becoming a "whole man", and stepping out of his comfort zone?
"Anything I swore to would be above suspicion. I had voted guilty on tree separate occasions during the year in cases involving lying. I had felt no sense of remorse whatsoever when I heard the drums echoing across the campus for those three cadets. Now I was going to lie and I had premeditated that lie for several hours"(480). This passage shows Will stepping out of his comfort zone. He says that he found three other cadets guilty due to lying while serving on the Honor Court, and now he is about to disobey and do something the has never done, especially infront of the Honor court; He is going to lie. The fact that he is willing to lie to protect his best friend shows his loyalty to Pig, and loyalty is a key factor in a whole man. Because he is doing something that goes against the Code shows him develop and mature, and the act of his lying shows how loyal he is to his friend. | "'Tell me what this is all about, Will,' Abigail demanded. 'Tell me this instant. What has happened to you?' Spinning around to face her, I said, 'What happened to me, Abigail? What happened to me?[...]'He betrayed three people, Abigail, three people who loved him. One of them is dead because of this sad worthless son of yours'"(549-550). Will shows how he is a whole man in this scene/passage. His actions show that he is confident, especially becasue he says how he really feels, and confronts Tradd. He is being honest and telling Abigail what had happened. Both confidence and honesty make up a whole man according to John Wooden. Will is taking a risk by speaking in such a way about Tradd infront of Abigail. He would never do such a thing if not for a good reason, because the St. Croix's were basically a second family to him, but he is maturing and taking risks that he would not be expected to do.
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"'I never felt happier in Charleston than when I was in this house. There was such peace here. Such safety. I felt completely safe here.' 'You can still feel safe here.' Abigail said. 'Please, Will,' Tradd said, close to tears. "Please. I deserve one more chance. Please don't leave me like this. We love each other. You know we do, Will. Tell me you don't love me. Yes, tell me that. Tell me you don't love me, Will.' 'I can't tell you that, Tradd,' I said. And I left the St. Croix mansion forever"(555).
Will shows how comfortable he was in the St. Croix house, and how peaceful it was to him. He felt safe there, and now all of that is gone. He is finally seeing that he does not have to rely on other people to feel safe. He can only depend on himself. Will shows his initiative because he has made his mind up without the influence of anyone else. Said before, he feels safe in that house, and now he is leaving forever, never coming back. The fact that he is able to separate from something/someone he felt safe around, shows how he is leaving his comfort zone. He is leaving the family and mansion he had known for his four years at the Institute behind, and entering and creating a new life for himself.
