The Pencil Maker tells a pencil that it needs to remember five things to become the best pencil it can be. First, it must allow itself to be held and used by someone's hand. Second, it will experience sharpenings that will make it better. Third, it can correct mistakes. Fourth, its most important part is the inside. And fifth, it must leave its mark on every surface. The pencil is then told to see itself as a person who must remember these lessons to become the best person.