Education increases freedom, as does community. A guide and a path of life grants freedom because it enables one to flourish. Anything that stunts possibility enslaves us.
I am pretty sure it is because they thought they where not big enough to fight him so they where afraid...
The theme about growing up conveys the complexity of the adult world in which you can no longer remain innocent as a child in order to survive.
The answer is B: The rebels will not be able to hurt Arthur