Chapter 1, The Very Small Person Summary and Analysis

Theodore Roosevelt's life begins "in the late afternoon on October 27, 1858." He is born into a privileged New York City family, the second child of Theodore Senior and Martha Bulloch Roosevelt. Though the new baby's grandmother reported a clean and pretty baby, his mother remarked that the boy "looked like a terrapin."

From birth, however, the young boy suffers from various health problems, namely asthma. These maladies plague him through his youth. Through all the illness, Roosevelt remembers his father's care, as he paced the floor with the ailing child. Theodore Senior makes a strong impression on his oldest son in many other ways. His father's disciplined lifestyle and staunch support encourages Roosevelt to pursue all his dreams. The family's wealth also helps Roosevelt gain the time and education he needs. Roosevelt senior, in...