Get To Know Them
By Madison Bingham Period 6-7
Analysis of the Development of Theme
In "Freak the Mighty" the personalities of Freak and Max hugely affect the conflict. Without their own aspects and ways of thinking, the story would be quite pointless. With Max's big, tall body and Freak's small stature, it helps the story make more sense. The way they use to get around is also quite humorous, making the reader want to read more, and also affecting the theme in a very 'special' way. As Freak said, "Sometimes we're nine feet tall, & strong enough to walk through walls!" The setting also has a major effect on the conflict. Without "Down Under", Max would've slept upstairs, making the way Freak wakes him up change drastically. Instead of Freak "banging on the bulkhead", saying "Get outta bed, you lazy beast! There are fair maidens to rescue! Dragons to slay!" It would be the quite boring way of 'politely' knocking on the front door. It's obvious to see how boring that would be! Plus, we would never get a real taste of Freak, only bits and pieces. All in all, the theme is brought out well in the story.
Reflection and Application of Theme
The theme was brought out very well by the author, and I really like the theme. I strongly agree with it, because if you didn't actually know somebody, but still despise them, then what's the point? I support the theme because the author made sure that all of the characters contributed part of their personality into the theme. Max didn't even like himself at the beginning of the story because he thought that he was big and clumsy. Freak, however, showed him that he was worth tons to him and that he was important to others as well. I am glad that the author used his skills to make sure that the theme could be recognized and thought about. The theme definitely applies to our own generation in a very particular way. In this generation, people can be especially critical of our own and other's appearances. We judge people by their looks instead of actually meeting them and figuring out their personalities. However, those who are very intuitive can see you truly and are known for their kindness (usually). I am grateful for those people and hope that they will make a difference.
Freak's Dictionary
The dictionary that Freak always carries around show that Freak is quite smart besides his small size and stature. You can't judge how smart Freak is until you really meet him. After all, Max at first didn't get why he had the dictionary for awhile, but then he figured out what Freak was like. Freak always used huge words, and even the school principal got confused by some of the words he used!
Maxwell
Maxwell is a pretty menacing character, isn't he? Well, until Freak came along. Before Kevin was around to prove that he was more than he father, he was terrifying even to his own grandparents! But then Kevin showed them the real Max, and he was cherished by his grandparents, even brought out from "Down Under" several times!
Kidnapped!
"Killer Kane" tells Max that everyone was lying about him being a cruel murderer. However, Max learns that he is exactly what he tells him after truly learns who is father is. A cruel, senseless killer, just like his grandparents told him. That shows that you can never truly listen to someone's word until you get to know them. Without this event, Kevin might have never truly known what his father was like.
Summary
Overall, the book is a wonderfully worded story. It has an excellent description of all the characters and the conflict is shown well throughout the story. There are many suspenseful moments that make you want to read more. It showed how Max slowly broke through what everyone thought he was (a kid born to be just like his father) and blossomed into a bighearted boy. He did that all with Freak/Kevin right there with him until the very end. You could see how far their friendship went by from a single sentence. Also, even though it crushed Max to have his very best friend pass away, you can see that he pushed through and learned to deal with the grief. This book is one of the best books I have ever read, and I encourage others to read it as well.