Final answer:
The children and characters in the provided texts struggle to meet each other's glances due to emotional barriers, feelings of embarrassment, vulnerability, societal pressures, and issues related to identity and self-perception.
Step-by-step explanation:
The inability of the children to meet each other's glances in the excerpts provided appears to stem from a variety of emotional and psychological barriers. In some instances, the awkwardness or the embarrassment in making eye contact may reflect an underlying tension or the weight of unspoken thoughts. There are cases where characters find it challenging to connect through their eyes, which might signify vulnerability or the fear of revealing too much. Alternatively, there might be societal pressures or matters of identity and self-perception that prevent direct gazes, as seen in the excerpt discussing the experience of feeling like an outcast.