The novel This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff depicts the hardships faced by a boy in the 1950s. The main character, Toby Wolff or Jack, travels around the country with his mother, Rosemary, in an attempt to escape her abusive boyfriend. Jack is constantly adapting to his continuously changing surroundings and faces new problems everywhere he goes. Throughout the novel, the author uses secrecy among the characters to portray both plot and character development.
Secrecy plays a major role in showing the character development of the main character Jack. When Jack decides to apply to private schools, he realizes he needs outstanding letters of recommendation to make sure he gets in. Jack decides to write the letters himself and he describes himself