(view spoiler)[The man with the folder at the end is the author of the book.
He put himself into the story and is talking to Ed, a character of his own creation.
The author is telling the reader: I wrote this book to show you that an ordinary person like Ed, or even you: the reader, can do good things and change the world around you!
The author is asking you and me to look around at the people you see. Then, do what you can to make their life better—including your own. Maybe that means buying a stranger an ice cream cone, or being there for a friend. We can find good things to do whether it's big or small.
If you still don't get it, look up "breaking the 4th wall". The idea is that on a stage, you see 3 walls of the room the characters are standing in. There isn't a 4th wall, or the audience wouldn't be able to see the play. But the 4th wall would be there for the characters, because they are just standing in a house or building. The characters don't see the audience. "Breaking the 4th wall" is when the characters become aware that they are fictional and/or are aware of the audience. It’s as if the characters broke through the invisible “wall” between them and the audience. (hide spoiler)]
He put himself into the story and is talking to Ed, a character of his own creation.
The author is telling the reader: I wrote this book to show you that an ordinary person like Ed, or even you: the reader, can do good things and change the world around you!
The author is asking you and me to look around at the people you see. Then, do what you can to make their life better—including your own. Maybe that means buying a stranger an ice cream cone, or being there for a friend. We can find good things to do whether it's big or small.
If you still don't get it, look up "breaking the 4th wall".
The idea is that on a stage, you see 3 walls of the room the characters are standing in. There isn't a 4th wall, or the audience wouldn't be able to see the play. But the 4th wall would be there for the characters, because they are just standing in a house or building. The characters don't see the audience. "Breaking the 4th wall" is when the characters become aware that they are fictional and/or are aware of the audience. It’s as if the characters broke through the invisible “wall” between them and the audience. (hide spoiler)]