Question

What does this sentence mean?:

"that what the boy was hinged on what he could become". The words "was" and "become" are italicized in original context.

Answer 1

Do you have the full sentence? What I'm getting is that the boy was addicted or attached to someone he would later turn in to.

Answer 2

He was deeply attached to a certain idea of what he could become in the future.

Ex) He was hinged onto the idea of pursuing his career as a doctor.

Answer 3

The italicized "was" could either mean that the boy used to be attached to what he could become and is no longer, or that he was indeed (as a confirmation) attached to what he could become. Without context, it's difficult to tell, but I'm inclined to believe it's the latter.

I believe the italicized "become" just places emphasis on the idea that he could turn into something else, not just take on a career or job, but figuratively evolve into something bigger and better, like a metamorphosis.