Friends help you be happy
by Maggie Ribble 6-7
Analysis of the Development of Theme
In the book "Freak the Mighty", before Max first really talks to Freak, he is kind of a downer. He puts himself down a lot. For example, on page six it says, " Not that I had any ideas. My brain is vacant, okay? I'm just this critter hiding out in the basement,". But then, when he first talks to Freak his attitude changed fairly quickly. I think that at one point in the story he kind of thinks that Freak is the answer to everything. These characters connecting, I think creates and solves the majority of the conflicts. On the back of the book it says, " Together Max and Freak were unstoppable. Together, they were Freak the Mighty."
Reflection and Application of Theme
I completely agree with the theme, "If you have friends, then you will be happier". I think that the author developed this theme very well. The way that he described Max definitely made it seem like it. He made it seem like Max was kind of sad and mostly looked on the bad side of things. Until, like I said before, Freak came along. Once Freak was there he seemed much happier. I think that this is relevant no matter who you are. I know as a fact that became more of a happy person once I had good friends. I also think that this applies to people no matter where they are. No matter what, having friend will help you be happier.
I chose a picture of hands holding. I chose this because, most of the time when you see people holding hands it means they are friends. Also the symbol for friendship is often a pair of hands holding.
This is a picture of Freak and Max. I picked it because they are the main characters of the book. They are also the people that I picked my theme up from.
I picked this picture of a moving van because at the beginning of the book Freak moves into the house next to Max. This is when my theme comes into view. If freak hadn't moved then my theme wouldn't really exist in that book.
Summary
Max is the son of Killer Kane. He lives in his grandparent's basement. He lives a fairly regular life until freak comes. Max is giant and not the smartest, but Freak is small and brilliant. When you put them together they become the unstoppable Freak the Mighty. Together they go on adventures and do new things. They even survived the New Tenements (aka: the new testaments). But one day Killer Kane gets released.
Author information
Rodman Philbrick started to write when he was in sixth grade. When he turned 16 he sent his first book to multiple publishing companies. All of them rejected it. When he was 28 he became a published author. (Source: about the author in Freak the Mighty)