Be a good friend
Seth Krommenhoek 1-2
Analysis of the Development of Theme
Max was nice to Freak which made them friends. They lived in a small, lonely town which made them the best of friends. Because Freak was small Max could carry him. "I pick up the handle to the American Flyer wagon and start pulling him over. It's really easy because he doesn't weigh much." Also, because Max has a learning disability Freak can teach him. "I put all my favorite words in alphabetical order, then put them in that box." Freak said. "Like a dictionary?" I asked
Reflection and Application of Theme
I agree that friendship can still take place with people that aren't really the same. It's cool how such different people can be good friends. One was huge and the other was small, one was smart and the other wasn't. I do wish that Freak could have lived longer so he and Max could have had fun for a longer time. It was sad what happened, but sometimes stuff like that happens. It was especially sad for Max cause Kevin was his only friend. I think the theme is relevant to our generation. Some people are not very nice to other people that have disabilities, others are really nice.
Pictures of Symbols in the Book
Paper Ornithopter
This ornithopter started their friendship. It is what made Max come outside of the down under. When he got it, it made Freak happy, he got in the wagon and Max towed him over to his house.
Grim
Grim is always... well grim. He made Max's life hard. When Max found Freak, it really lightened up his life. He was always mad about Killer Kane he never realized that Max was a good kid.
Freak's disability
Freak's disability is a huge part of the story. Since Freak is small, Max can carry him easily. They couldn't go on fun quests with Freak on his shoulders if he was big.
Summary
The main idea of the story is friendship. It happened between Freak and Max. They were able to be great friends even though they were very different. Max was huge and not very intelligent and Kevin was small and really smart. It took place in the summer and at the beginning of school. They were both 12 and entering 8th grade. It took place in a small town with a lot of houses. Freak the Mighty was written so people could see what a real friend is.
Author Information
Rodman Philbrick was born in 1951 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was married to Lynn Harnett from 1980 until she died in 2012. He currently lives in Maine, USA. Freak the Mighty isn't the only book in the series. There is a second book titled Max the Mighty. Freak the Mighty was published in 1993 by Blue Sky Scholastic.