Maniac Magee
By: Alex Ward
Summary
Jeffery Lionel Magee also known as Maniac Magee is an orphan whos parents died in a trolley accident when he was three. Without a home he moves in with his aunt and uncle who dislike each other to the point where they dont communicate. While living with them Magee runs away at a school musical never to return. After a year he randomly shows up at Two Mills. The town is racially divided with white people living in the west end of town and black people living in the east end. While walking in the east end on his first day in town Maniac meets a girl named Amanda Beale carrying a suitcase. Mistaking her for a runaway Maniac approaches Amanda and discovers she is carrying her prized collection of used books. Although Amanda loves her books and is protective of them she reluctantly allows Maniac to have one. Maniac continues making a scene around town every step of the way. Maniac catches a football pass and punts it back during a high school gym class. Then he break the pitching streak of burly John McNab at the little league field. Next Maniac saves a boy caught in the backyard of the mysterious Finsterwald house. After a day of antics its safe to say the legend has begun.
Author
The author is Jerry Spinelli. He was born February 1, 1941 (age 73)
Main Characters
Amanda Beale is african american teenager that lives in the east end. Not many people live in the east end but Maniac Magee ends up living in the east end with Amanda Beale.
Mars Bar Thompson is a kid living on the east end who everyone is afraid of. Maniac ends up running into him and they have a little trouble with each other and Mars Bar wants to beat up Maniac Magee.
Secondary Characters
Piper and Russel McNab
Earl Grayson
Hester and Lester Beale
Mrs. Beale
Uncle Dan and Aunt Dot
Incidental Characters
Finsterwald
Brian
James
Arnold Jones
Main Conflicts
When Maniac Magee was little his parents died and he was forced to live with his aunt and uncle. He didnt like it there as much he ran away.
Setting
The setting is Two Mills. Two Mills is strictly divided into race between whites and african americans. East end is considered the african american side and West end is considered the white side. Maniac didnt know this and he ended up in the East end and didnt know anything about race and Maniac isnt races. He lives in the East end for a while with a really nice family that lets him stay.
Point of View
Maniac Magee is in Third Person (omniscient). They put it into third person so they can see Maniac Magees journey unfold from the outside.
Use of Literary Techniques
Amanda was suspicious. Who was this stranger kid? and what was he doing in the east end where almost all the kids are black?
As
Theme
Maniac Magee is friendship theme. When Maniac Magee arrives in Two Mills he doesnt have a single friend. The friends he makes and the family he makes is super important to him because he didnt have anyone and he likes having friends and talking to people and hanging with them.