Answer:
With everything else going on in the narrative, it can be easy to forget that this book is fundamentally about the love family members have for one another and the bonds that hold them together in the face of trouble. This family learns and grows, and this is one of the many quotes that exemplifies Kenny's gratitude towards his family for helping him in all kinds of situations. Though Kenny is capable of making many important judgment calls on his own, he is still a child and he still makes mistakes: sometimes, as when his friendship with Rufus is strained, he needs a little push from his family to help patch things up.
"Byron was the only person in the world who could make you feel sorry for someone as mean as Larry Dunn."
Kenny, Chapter 4
Kenny would not be in the wrong to take pleasure in seeing Larry Dunn beat up, since Larry stole Kenny's best gloves and then lied about doing so. However, Kenny has the kind of empathy that Byron does not appear to have. He can watch someone get hurt and feel that other person's pain; even though this bully has hurt him, Kenny understands what it is like to be hurt by Byron. This quote also emphasizes the hierarchy of Clark Elementary; even the bullies can get bullied by bigger bullies, based on where they stand on the social ladder.
Explanation:
