“All this time I’ve been waiting to be an angel—and now I am!”

Suds’s exclamation on his first day of third grade underscores his eager anticipation of being labeled an “angel,” aligning with his preexisting perfectionist tendencies. Despite not yet knowing about the halo reward at this point, Suds’s desire to embody the ideal of goodness and perfection is already evident. This early manifestation of his desire to be model student foreshadows his later struggles with The Pitfalls of Perfectionism, highlighting how his fixation on external validation shapes his actions and perceptions throughout the narrative.

“Our new teacher, Mrs. Simms, was standing there saying it to each of us as we entered the classroom: ‘Welcome, angel Brett…’ ‘Welcome, angel Heather…’ ‘Welcome, angel Emma’ Amazing! How did she know our names already?”

Mrs. Simms’s welcoming gesture of addressing her students as “angels” upon their arrival symbolizes her role in guiding them toward goodness and moral growth. This event connects to the theme of The Impact of Adult Guidance and hints at Mrs. Simms’s halo dynamic. Additionally, by making it a point to know the name of each student before class even begins, she implicitly creates a safe, welcoming environment in which each student is celebrated and valued as an individual.