“Greatness Strikes Where It Pleases” opens in the 1930s, where a mentally disabled boy resides with his family on a modest farm nestled near the forest's edge. He shares this pastoral life with a brother and a sister, elder by a couple of years. In the woodshed, his siblings hone their skills, crafting wooden cars and boats. But for the boy, tools like chisels, saws, and axes are objects of terror, beyond his grasp to wield or even name. The shed is filled with other daunting instruments, like a mallet too weighty to lift and an ice saw, hanging ominously, forbidden to his touch. Fearful he might injure himself, his parents resort to beating him to keep him away from these dangerous implements. His siblings, meanwhile, play tricks on him, sending him on futile errands to the barn in search of things that aren't there, leaving him in a constant state of doubt about the reality around him.

The boy finds solace not in the realm of tools, but amidst the mushrooms sprouting in the woods behind the barn. Their myriad shapes, scents, and textures captivate him, yet his parents forbid his ventures into the mushroom-laden forest.

In 1939, as the shadows of World War II loom, he begins school at seven. The teacher in the quaint, solitary schoolhouse is gentle and supportive, aiding him in his struggle to read. Though he can distinguish letters, the words remain an enigma. During recess, he meanders alone, detached from his peers, perplexed by his very presence at school, which lasts a mere week. His parents, disheartened by this failed endeavor, send him to an institution for boys like him. There, he reminisces about his farm life, finding amusement in dismantling a spider "apart, leg by leg," or feeding paper to his peculiar bedmate, who delights in consuming small paper balls. The patterned wallpaper offers him comfort, as his imagination forms tree-like shapes from its interwoven lines.

The following year, in 1940, he returns home when the institution is repurposed. Within a week, he narrowly escapes drowning in a brook, only to face punishment from his parents for his carelessness.

The Awakening of Adolescence

By the spring of 1945, now thirteen and back at the institution, he discovers the mysteries of his own body, learning the art of self-pleasure. This newfound awareness fills him with joy, as he realizes his body harbors secrets waiting to be unearthed. It becomes "the happiest spring of his life."

During this time, he is permitted to watch boys at work in the wood shop. A compassionate new teacher offers him tasks, like organizing wood in the lumber room, granting him small responsibilities that engage him. The clamor of the other boys puzzles him, yet the teacher skillfully restores order without harshness. The teacher becomes a pivotal figure in the boy's life.

However, his interactions with the female aides are fraught with tension. They often consider him a nuisance, their demeanor oscillating between revulsion and a semblance of maternal care. With their frequent departures, he forms no lasting connections.

Transitions and Isolation

After several years, the wood shop teacher departs, and many boys transfer to another institution. Only those with severe disabilities, like him, remain behind.

In 1952, an overturned wheat truck near the institution brings unexpected delight. For weeks, the boys gather kernels from the ditches and hedgerows, considering this bounty "a mysterious gift" from beyond.

This marks the last notable event in his life for some time. As he ages, his days revolve around meals, and by thirty, he has grown tragically obese. Occasionally, he assists...