What is the theme in The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt?

The primary theme of The Wednesday Wars is the coming of age of young Holling Hoodhood. A Presbyterian boy surrounded by a town of Catholics and Jewish people, Holling knows he is different but doesn't understand the larger picture of the world around him. At the beginning of the novel, Holling's primary concerns are behaving in class to further his father's business, dealing with the perceived hatred of a teacher, and combating the older brother of a classmate. His older sister is beginning to rebel at home against the Vietnam war and the discrimination in the United States, but Holling cares only for what happens in his own small world.

When his teacher begins sharing Shakespeare with Holling, however, he begins to realize there is more to the world than meets the eye. Through his readings, and his learned and caring teacher, Holling begins to understand tragedy and is able to tie in his lessons with the world around him. He sees Mrs. Baker not only as a strict teacher, but also as a woman whose husband is fighting in Vietnam. He understands that her refusal to participate in the holiday activities stems from her own sorrow. He understands that Mrs. Bigio, the school lunch person, is cruel to Mai Thi because she is from Vietnam, where Bigio's husband was killed. Holling sees that it is Bigio's pain that causes her and others to lash out at poor Mai Thi, even though the young girl has no part in the war. He feels the pain of discrimination himself as he is denied an autograph by Mickey Mantle simply because of the way he looks, and he learns how it feels to lose heroes.