When Leroy’s reactions to the challenges he experiences integrating Maybelline into his life underscore the theme of Overcoming Obstacles with Determination and Positivity. Even though Leroy cannot fit Maybelline through his apartment door, he’s not deterred. Instead, he “closed his eyes and conjured up Patty’s face again” trying to “remember the other items about Maybelline” (37). Rather than wallowing in frustration, Leroy pauses to think, drawing on the advice he was given by Maybelline’s previous owner. Although his thoughts do not get the horse inside his apartment, he settles on the alternate solution of sleeping outside with her, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness. Similarly, when he prepares food for Maybelline, he handles the problem of not having oats or hay by making her three pots of spaghetti, exuding joy and positivity despite the roadblocks he faces. At the end of their first day together, they’ve made it to his home, Maybelline is well-fed, and the two have begun to form a strong bond of affection and trust.

Throughout this section, DiCamillo characterizes Leroy as a fundamentally kind person who makes mistakes but tries to do the right thing, reinforcing his position as the hero of the tale. DiCamillo reiterates the trajectory of his arc by reminding the reader of the growth he’s already experienced prior to the events of the novel. For example, when he sleeps outside with Maybelline, he curls up at her feet, sighs, and begins talking to her, saying: “‘I have made a lot of mistakes in life […] I have done some things that I wish I had not done. I have taken some wrong turns […] There was a time in my life when I was a thief […] I am now reformed’” (46). Leroy’s acknowledgment of his past mistakes and his efforts to correct them illustrate his determination to grow and improve as a person. DiCamillo suggests this personal reformation is rooted in his desire to become a cowboy, pointing to The Importance of Pursuing One’s Dreams.

DiCamillo expands the narrative point of view in this section to include not only Leroy’s thoughts but also Maybelline’s. The opening chapters utilize a third-person limited point-of-view—revealing only Leroy’s perspective. The slight shift, giving the reader access to Maybelline’s thoughts, anthropomorphizes the horse and underscores the growing bond between her and Leroy, highlighting the text’s thematic interest in The Need For Friendship and Community. For example, awakened by the storm, Maybelline feels frightened and wonders, “Where was the little man? Where was the little man with the big hat and the beautiful words? Where was the little man who brought her spaghetti?” (54). When the rain begins and Leroy goes inside, Maybelline is terrified by the ferocity of the storm, DiCamillo notes: “And worst of all—oh, worst of all—Maybelline was utterly, absolutely alone” (54). The utter and absolute isolation that the horse feels stokes fear and panic—the “worst” situation she could imagine. The shift in point-of-view not only reveals Maybelline’s thoughts and feelings but also reinforces the need for companionship when dealing with difficult circumstances.