Part 3/9:
Upon arrival, the brothers face a rigidly structured daily routine, devoid of love or kindness. The principal, Frederik Heck, enforces a code of silence and obedience, deploying violence even as he acknowledges that physical punishment is now illegal. Here, Elmer expresses his aspiration to become an astronaut, but rather than encouragement, he receives a slap for his impertinence, indicative of the emotional toll on the human spirit in such environments.
The Brothers’ Struggles with Abuse