Chapter 3, The Mentor Summary and Analysis

In childhood and adolescent, Donald Miller felt resentment toward authority figures. Older men, in particular, drew his disdain. He felt put off by their apparent shows of power.

After high school, Miller sets off to travel the country. He runs out of money in Boring, Oregon and settles down. Feeling lonely, he joins a church, as had been his habit since childhood. There, he joins the college-aged class, which meets for Bible studies at the home of the teacher, John MacMurray.

MacMurray becomes a significant influence in Miller's life. MacMurray works part time as a teacher and full time as a traveling landscape photographer. He shares his work with the boys in the bible study; Miller admits that the pictures appear so vivid that they seemed to be alive.

After many visits to MacMurray's house for bible...