NAME: __________________________________ PERIOD: _____
FREAK THE MIGHTY
Reading Project
(100 possible points)
Your assignment is to complete the activities and requirements related to the
literature study we are doing in class.
Please follow the checklist below.
Checklist:
_____
1. Answer the discussion questions on a separate piece of paper using
complete sentences. (50 points)
_____
2. Complete the Character Development pages. (15 points)
_____
3. Complete the Elements of Plot and Conflict pages. (15 points)
_____
4. Complete the Figurative Language pages. (10 points)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Freak the Mighty Questions—Copy the questions on your own paper and answer
them in complete, detailed sentences.
Chapters 1-3
1. What does Max means by “. . . the year Gram and Grim took me over . . .”?
2. How does the location of Max’s room “down under” relate to how he feels
about himself?
3. What does Grim mean when he says that Maxwell is “getting to look a lot like
him”?
4. When did Freak and Kicker meet for the first time? Describe.
5. What was Maxwell’s second experience with Freak? Describe.
6. Why do you think Kevin isn’t embarrassed to have Max pulling him in the
wagon?
7. Who were Grim and Gram? Tell more than they were Max’s grandparents.
Chapters 4-6
8. Why doesn’t Max like to read?
9. What happened as Freak and Max were walking down to the pond?
10. Why do you think Blade chooses Max and Freak to pick on chapter 6? What
kind of guy is Blade?
11. Why do you think Max feels so uncomfortable about having dinner with Kevin
and Gwen?
12. When comparing TV to books, Kevin says, “Books are like truth serum – if you
don’t read, you can’t figure out what’s real.” What do you think he means by
this?
13. What story does Freak tell Max when they first meet?
14. At the end of chapter 5, Max states “…and I’m crying like a baby. And the
really weird thing is, I’m happy.” What do you think about this statement?
Why would he cry if he was happy? Why is it weird for him to be happy?
Chapters 7-9
15. What does Max have problems with besides reading?
16. What does Gram want Max to do in regards to Tony D.?
17. How does Freak wake Max up every morning?
18. Why does Max feel like a fraud?
19. What are the similarities and differences between Max and Freak?
20. What was Freak’s solution to getting away from the bullies?
21. How do Gram and Grim treat Max differently after he “saves” Freak from
Tony D.? Why do you think they change how they treat him because of this
incident?
22. What does the coffee Grim offers Max symbolize?
Chapters 10-15
23. Where will the boys hunt for treasure?
24. What is Max thinking about as he waits for the quest to begin?
25. What is captured on the quest? How did it get into the drain and whom
does it belong to?
26. Why do Freak and Max go into the New Testaments/New Tenements?
Describe the setting.
27. Who are Loretta and Iggy; how do they treat the boys?
28. Why was Freak’s father a magician?
29. Describe what happens at Freak and Max’s school in Chapter 12.
30. How does Mr. Meehan help Max?
31. What does Max’s father ask for?
32. According to Dr. Spivak, what is the problem with Freak’s body?
33. Why does Grim ask Max to stay in the house?
34. Tell Grim’s story about the lump of coal.
35. Describe in detail the gifts that Freak and Max give each other for
Christmas.
Chapters 16-20
36. Why does Max’s father come back?
37. What do you think Max is feeling when his father takes him from the
house? Explain.
38. Why does Max’s father tie up Max?
39. How does “Killer Kane” describe his years in prison?
40. What is “Killer Kane’s” plan?
41. What do you think Iggy is trying to tell Max “with his eyes”?
42. How do you feel about the way Max’s father treats Max? Explain.
43. Why does Loretta help Max? What does this tell us about her?
44. What does the sight of Loretta being hurt due to Max?
45. How does Kevin save Max? What was really in the squirt gun?
Chapters 21-25
46. What is it that worries Max about growing up?
47. What happened that caused Max to change his mind about Iggy and
Loretta?
48. How do you feel about Freak dying? How do you think Max feels about
Freak dying? Explain.
49. What were some changes that Freak and Max went through?
50. Explain what Loretta meant by, “Nothing is a drag, kid. Think about it.”
What was she trying to get Max to understand?
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
The characters in a novel or play may be revealed to the reader or audience in a
variety of ways. Your main impression of a character is formed through his/her
speech or actions, physical description, mannerisms, surroundings, other
characters’ reactions to that character, or the writer’s feelings about the
character. A static character is one who changes very little or not at all
throughout the story. A dynamic character is one who changes or grows
significantly as the story unfolds. Max and Kevin, the two most important
characters in Freak the Mighty, can both be described as dynamic characters.
Each of them goes through major changes that are revealed through their dialogue
and actions, and by what the author says about them. Other characters’ reactions
to them also change throughout the story. These other characters could be static
or dynamic characters.
Directions: Locate specific quotes or descriptions of the characters below to show
examples of their behavior or personalities from Chapters 1-10, using the clues
above the box. Then find examples that show some of the changes they have
undergone in the story so far, if they have changed at all. If the character has
not changed, write “static character” in the box.
NAME: ________________________________ PERIOD: _______
Kevin
What it says about himself
What someone else says about him
Example of his actions
Example showing how he has changed
Max
What he says about himself
What someone else says about him
Example of his actions
Example of how he has changed
Gwen
What she says about herself
What someone else says about her
Example of her actions
Example showing how she has changed
Gram
What she says about herself
What someone else says about her
Example of her actions
Example showing how she has changed
ELEMENTS OF PLOT AND CONFLICT
A novel is a type of literary work which is lengthy (generally between 100-500
pages), and uses all of the elements of storytelling: plot, climax, character,
setting, point of view, and theme. Novels usually have several conflicts involving
various characters, and more than one setting. Now that you have read Freak the
Mighty, consider each of the characteristics of a novel, and decide how well the
book fits into the novel format.
Plot is the related series of events that make up a story. In other words, plot is
the action that makes up a story. There are several parts of a plot:
• exposition—the beginning of the story that gives background information on
characters and previous action
• rising action—the beginning of the action that will lead to a high point in the
story
• climax—the turning point of the story; the part of the story in which the
protagonist reaches an emotional high point or a peak in power
• falling action—the action that occurs after the climax, before everything is
wrapped up in the story
• resolution—the ending of the story; the point when all loose ends are tied up
Conflict—Within the plot, there is also conflict. Conflict is the struggle between
opposing forces in a story. Three common types of conflict are:
Character versus character—when a character struggles against another
character or a particular problem that the other character has caused.
Character versus self—when a character struggles with himself about a
problem of his own, usually a moral or ethical issue, or a physical obstacle.
Character versus nature—when a character faces a force such as the
weather or an adverse setting or environment.
Directions: Below are important events in Freak the Mighty. First, arrange the
events in chronological order (the order in which they occurred.) Then, identify the
part of the plot using the labels exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and
resolution. Note: When identifying exposition, rising action, etc., some parts of the
plot can be used more than once. (An example has been done for you.) (The
parentheses will be used in the next section.) Then decide whether the entry
represents a conflict. If it is a conflict, write the type of conflict on the line.
NAME: ________________________________________ PERIOD: _______
_____ A. Tony D. and his gang go after Kevin and Max, forcing them into the pond.
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ B. Kevin chokes on his chop suey and has to go to the hospital.__________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
__10_ C. Grim and Gram yell at each other about getting a gun for protection.
Rising action, Conflict: Character vs. Character.
_____ D. Max is summoned to the principal’s office alone. _________________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ E. Max writes Freak the Mighty. ______________________________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict:
______________________________________________________
_____ F. The kids in Max and Kevin’s classes begin to chant, “Freak the Mighty,
Freak the Mighty.” _______________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ G. Max and Kevin go on a quest to retrieve the purse from the sewer. ___
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ H. The police have to subdue Max as he runs through the hospital after
finding out Kevin has died. _________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ I. Killer Kane comes to the down under and takes Max away. __________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ J. Kicker goes to day care, where he meets the little kid who has a
fascination with robots. ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ K. Loretta says, “Nothing is a drag, kid. Think about it.” ______________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ L. Loretta goes into the cellar to try to untie Max so he can escape. _____
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ M. Dr Spivak tells Max that Kevin made up the story about bionic surgery.
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ N. Max loses his mother, and his father goes to prison for her murder.
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ O. Kevin’s ornithopter gets stuck in a tree and Max helps him get it down.
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
_____ P. Max and Gram go shopping for school clothes. ___________________
______________________________________________________________
Conflict: ______________________________________________________
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
One of the most captivating aspects of good literature is the use of figurative
language, or ideas communicated beyond their literal meaning to create an image in
the reader’s or audience’s mind. There are several types of figurative language,
also called figures of speech.
In this exercise, you will use the following figures of speech:
• metaphor- a comparison made between two unlike objects: “The pillow was a
cloud.”
• simile- a comparison made between two unlike objects, using the words “like” or
“as” in the comparison: “The pillow was like a marshmallow.”
• personification- giving human qualities or characteristics to non-human objects:
“The wind sang its sad song.”
• hyperbole- truth is exaggerated for humor or emphasis: “I died when the boy I
like finally talked to me.”
Directions: Read each quote. Now identify and underline the figure(s) of
speech in the sentence, then decide what type of figure of speech it is.
Finally identify the comparison being made or the object being personified or
exaggerated. An example has been done for you.
Ex. “I never had a brain until Freak came along and let me borrow his for a while,
and that’s the truth, the whole truth.” (pg. 1)
Figure of Speech: hyperbole (or metaphor)
Analysis: Max wasn’t very smart until Freak came along and taught him how to
learn.
NAME: ________________________________________ PERIOD: _______
1. “Except I had a way of saying things with my fists and my feet even before we
became Freak the Mighty...” (1)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
2. “And Gram right away shushes him and says don’t ever say that, because little
pictures have big ears, which makes me run to the mirror to see if it is my big ears
made me look like Him.” (4)
Figure of Speech:________________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
3. “…he’s exploding out of his shoes.” (4)
Figure of Speech:________________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
4. “I’m just this critter hiding out in the basement, drooling in my comic books or
whatever.” (6)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
5. “At first she’s a glimpse, caught her going between the van and the front door,
talking to the beards.” (7)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis:_______________________________________________________
6. “…she has this glow, a secret spotlight that follows her around and makes her
eyes light up.” (13)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: _____________________________________________________
7. “…my feet are going wild that year and I keep tripping over everything. Cracks in
the sidewalk, ants on the sidewalk, shadows, anything.” (8)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
8. “If you didn’t know, you would think he was like a kindergarten creeper who
forgot how to walk, he’s that small.” (11)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
9. “I am amazed, because it does fly just like a little bird, flitting up and down and
around, higher than I can reach.” (13)
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
10. “It’s cool and dim in there and you float like a cloud – no, you are a cloud…” (21)
Figures of Speech: 1. ____________________ ; 2. ______________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
Now, find two other examples of figures of speech and write them on the lines.
Identify the type of figure of speech and write an analysis.
11. ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
12. ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Figure of Speech: _______________________________________________
Analysis: ______________________________________________________
EXTRA CREDIT (Possible 10 points each)
1. Find an actual medical diagnosis for Kevin. Write two or three paragraphs
outlining how you found the diagnosis and why you think the diagnosis you found is
correct.
2. Research a character that interests you from the legend of King Arthur. Write
a one to two page description of that character and why you find him or her
interesting. Include your sources.
3. Draw plans and build an ornithopter.