What happens in Chapters 9 through 12 of The Human Comedy?

In Chapter 9, "The Veteran," in William Saroyan's novel The Human Comedy, Homer Macauley, the main character, gets into a conversation with a Spanish-American War veteran. In Chapter 10, "The Ancient History Class," Homer and Hubert Ackley III get into a verbal argument in Miss Hicks's ancient history class, as they both like Helen Eliot. Homer challenges Hubert about why he feels superior because he's rich, and Hubert in turn calls Homer a "common fanfaron" (page 48), a word that Homer does not understand. Though they apologize to each other, Miss Hicks insists that they stay after school--a prospect that neither of them likes because they are competing in a track meet.

In Chapter 11, "The Human Nose," Miss Hicks asks the students what they have learned, and Homer goes off on a long history of the human nose. The point he is making is that everyone, regardless of their social class, has a nose. Therefore, the distinctions we make between people are not as critical as they seem. Finally, in Chapter 12, Mr. Byfield, the track coach, comes to tell Miss Hicks that he spoke to the principal, Mr. Ek, and that Mr. Ek said that Hubert should be allowed to go to the track meet. Mr. Byfield is more concerned with Hubert because Hubert is wealthy, but Miss Hicks speaks about how she cares more about the integrity of her students and how they behave than about what class they come from. Eventually, both boys go to the track meet, but Homer arrives later and falls as he begins running. Hubert stops all the participants from running until Homer is standing up again, and Hubert and Homer tie in the race.