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Literature-based Skill Building

Freak the Mighty, Chapter 17

The following are comprehension activities related to the novel Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, chapter 17. NOTE: Keep reading fun! Choose some, but not all, the exercises for each chapter. It may be appropriate to just to do a learning log, or to discuss activities and answers instead of writing things down, and sometimes you should just keep reading to find out what's happening next!

Chapter Seventeen: By All That's Holy

1. Learning Log

A. Give this chapter a new title. Consider what happened and the feelings of the chapter.
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B. Setting: Identify the setting of beginning of this chapter.
time ________________________________________
place _______________________________________________
mood (calm, happy, scared, excited) __________________________________________________

C. Summarize what happens in this chapter: ______________________________________

D. Questions:

Ask a question about something that happened in this chapter, or what might happen.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Vocabulary Word Parts:

Review the meanings of all the words you've learned. If you've forgotten some, review them tomorrow too.

2. Character Analysis for Complicated Characters

We see yet another side of Max's father in this chapter -- the actor. After all, he convinced the parole board that he had "Found Jesus" and was no longer dangerous. This chapter shows both sides of him.

This SADDR worksheet is partially done. Finish it.

Speech: Max's father says several things to Max to convince him that he's really a nice guy, including "I never killed anybody." What are two other things he says for that reason?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Action: Throughout this chapter, Max's father does things that don't match the things he says to Max. Even when he cries, there is "no crying in his voice." What is one action that says he is still a dangerous man? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Description: "His hand shoves through my hair and I can feel how strong he is, even though he doesn't hurt me." What does that description tell you about Max's father?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Drawing:Draw the character in an important scene. Include at least three details (either about the character, or the rest of the picture) that tell you what is happening.

Reactions of Others: Iggy goes along with everything Max's father says, even though he is the leader of a motorcycle gang. What does this tell you about Max's father?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Inferences

1. Even though he says he is a good father, he also makes a point of making sure Max will obey him. He insists that Max answer him "No, Sir, we can't have that." "No, Sir" isn't enough for him. At the end of the chapter when Max doesn't answer right away his father says "I asked you a question, boy."
What can we infer about Max's father from this?
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2. Max has a lot of trouble answering the question "are you satisfied?" with his father's explanation of being in jail. The last sentence in the chapter describes Max as "like a lump until the sun comes up, trying not to think about things I didn't want to remember."
What might he be trying not to think about?

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