What do Lanny's eccentricities represent in the novel, Lanny?

Lanny’s eccentricities symbolize the potential of creative, original thinking to please people or unnerve them. Lanny is enthusiastic, creative, and somewhat eccentric, and while he is generally well-liked, some people find him unnerving. For example, Robert consistently feels that he does not understand Lanny. Meanwhile, Pete and Lanny have such a good relationship because they admire each other’s creativity and eccentricities.