After
Chapter Eleven goes back to college, a “silence” descends over the Stephanides house.
Milton and
Tessie are distraught. In spring semester of eighth grade,
Callie is in
Mr. da Silva’s advanced English class, which consists of her and four other students, including
Maxine. Maxine is the only Jewish student at Baker & Inglis and socially isolated. Mr. da Silva, who is Brazilian, is a fantastic teacher, treating his students with true respect. He once visited Greece, where he had a profound conversation with an olive tree. In class, he asks Callie to read aloud from
The Iliad, because she comes from “Homer’s own land.”