It is important to put this quotation in the context of the chapter and in the context of Will's character. Will is immersed in self-doubt at this point in the book. The local basketball team, the Medicine River Friendship Center Warriors, has lost its most valued player, Clyde Whiteman. Of course, it is Harlen, Will's best friend, who continues to encourage Will to take Clyde's place.
The quotation you provide highlights the differences between Will and Harlen. Harlen is a risk-taker while Will is not. Will does not have enough confidence in his ability to play basketball at forty years old. Will has a solid and calm exterior, but he seems to be a late bloomer in regards to self-confidence. Will considers himself merely "normal" and someone who is simply getting through life. Will admits in the quote you provide that Harlen is much more unpredictable. This is why there are "dangerous curves and corners" in Harlen's mind. "None of them are marked" because marking dangerous curves or corners would at least provide a warning of the danger ahead.
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