Essential Question: Who am I becoming?
Area of Interaction: Health and Social Education
As you read this novel with your group, work together to complete this packet.
You are also responsible for keeping a daily process journal. At the end of each
day, write down 1) what you accomplished in your group and 2) any changes in
Max with passages and page numbers. Remember, you are trying to answer the
question, “Who Am I Becoming” for Max.
Day
1-2
Reading
 Read chapters 1-6
3-4

Read chapters 7-10
5-6

Read chapters 11-14
7-8

Read chapters 15-18
9-10

Read chapters 19-22
11-12

Read chapters 23-25
Activities
 Character development chart
 Literary elements i.d.
 Sensory language activity
 Relationship with Grim and
Gram details
 Literary elements i.d.
 Creativity Venn diagram
 Visual Image Words
 Max’s significant actions
 Theme
 Literary elements i.d.
 Kenny Kane’s actions/words
 Mood change chart
 Conflict Analysis

Discussion Questions
While you are reading, record what you think each word means; double check a dictionary to see
if your guess was accurate:
1. unvanquished p. 1
2. sobriquet p. 15
3. demeanor p. 15
4. propulsion p. 16
5. postulate p. 16
6. quest p. 17
7. invincible p 17
8. robotics p 18
9. opiate p. 19
10. massive p 19
11. tenements p. 26
12. depleted p. 26
13. regurgitate p 27
14. cretin p. 31
15. vegetate p. 44
16. archetype p. 47
17. steed p. 49
18. artifact p. 49
19. bloated p 49
20. moat p. 49
21. bionics p. 52
22. obligation p. 90
Now it’s your turn. Write down at least one new vocabulary word and page number for
each chapter and what you think it means; double check a dictionary to see if your guess
was accurate:
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
Character Development Chart
Find specific information from the text that helps in the development of Max, Gwen, and Freak
(Kevin). Think about the character’s physical and mental traits, personality, as well as likes and
dislikes. List the information in the chart.
Page
Max
Gwen
Freak (Kevin)
#
Ex: Not very smart: “I never had a
1
brain until Freak came along…”
Literary Elements I.D.
Find the example for each literary element. Copy it in the chart. Explain what it means.
Literary Element
Simile on page 15
Actual Text
What it Means
Simile on page 19
Simile on page 23
Sensory Language
Rodman Philbrick is a master in using sensory language. What do you see/hear/smell/taste/touch
about the following:
1) the way that Freak looked when he was crawling under the house. (p. 11)
2) the way that Freak moves down the steps to the basement. (p. 15)
3) how Max views reading. (p. 19)
4) his grandmother’s idea that he was making friends with Freak. (p. 22)
5) the grin of the drunken dude. (p. 29)
Relationship With Grim and Gram Details
Find specific details to explain the relationship that Max has with his grandparents. Consider
actions, words, and thoughts.
Page #
41
Actions/Words/Thoughts
Ex: “Gram is there rubbing me with the
towel and her hands are shaking…”
What it means
Gram really cares about Max and his
safety
Literary Elements I.D.
Find the example for each literary element. Copy it in the chart. Explain what it means.
Literary Element
Simile on page 37
Actual Text
What it means
Irony on page 41
Idiom on page 45
Foreshadowing on
page 50-51
Alliteration on page
57
Not applicable
Creativity Venn Diagram
Find specific examples of either creative ideas the characters have or creative actions they take.
In the intersection, list ideas and actions they have together. Use whatever shapes you would
like to compare and contrast Max and Kevin.
Freak (Kevin)
Mighty (Max)
Visual Image Words
Rodman Philbrick uses descriptive language to introduce two new characters. What are Iggy and
Loretta Lee like? Give examples from the book with page numbers.
Loretta Lee
Iggy Lee
Max’s Significant Actions/Words
During these chapters, we begin to get a better idea of what type of person Max is based upon his
actions and conversations with other characters. Fill in the chart with significant actions or words
from Max.
Max
Actions
(include page #)
Words
(include page #)
Theme: Life-Lessons and Morals
Theme is an interesting part of all literature. A theme is what the author wants you to know or what
you gain from reading the novel. Stories can be life-changing.
Themes can be expressed in one word: Courage, Honesty, Relationships, Love, Sacrifice, etc.
Themes are also life-lessons or morals: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today” “Live
your life to the fullest,” or “A smile is the foundation of beauty.” The theme or life-lesson can be
something that you learn OR something that a character learned OR something that the author
wishes each person could think about and learn from.
What types of themes, life-lessons, and/or morals are there in the novel Freak the Mighty?
What does Rodman Philbrick want you to learn about life or, at least, be reminded of as you
live vicariously through the characters?
(Hint: Don’t just think of Max and themes but about the minor characters as well.)
Interpret and explain how each of the themes listed connect with the story. Use at least three
specific sections of the story to help you explain the connection to a theme. You will need to
complete this on a separate sheet of paper and use complete paragraphs (4-8 sentences).
Possible Themes:
Friendship
Change
Human Worth
Family
Literary Elements I.D.
Find the example for each literary element. Copy it in the chart. Explain what it means.
Literary Element
Simile on page 101
Metaphor on page
101
Simile on page 102
Simile on page 104
Irony on page 109
Irony on page 117
Actual Text
What it Means
Kenny Kane’s Actions and Words
List 3 adjectives to describe Kenny Kane. Provide an example from the text to support your use of
each adjective to describe him. The support can come from his actions and words. Include the page
number where you find the support.
Adjective:
Support:
Adjective:
Support:
Adjective:
Support:
Mood Change Chart
There is a definite change in mood in the past 8 chapters. List the characters, setting changes, and
events that contribute to the change in mood.
Characters
Ex: Freak
Setting
Cafeteria
Events
Chokes on chop suey
Conflict Analysis
A conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. An external conflict is one in which a character
has a struggle with an outside force (another person, nature, society). An internal conflict is one in
which a character struggles to make a decision or take an action.
There are five types of conflicts in literature
Man vs. Man
One character against another (external)
Man vs. Self
Character or characters against their own beliefs (internal)
Man vs. Society
Character or characters against the rules of society (external)
Man vs. Nature
Character or characters against the forces of nature (external)
Man vs. Fate (God)
Character or characters against their own destiny (external)
Choose three characters from the story and describe which conflict each faces and why.
Character: __________________
Conflict: __________________
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Character: __________________
Conflict: __________________
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Character: __________________
Conflict: __________________
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Discussion Questions
Choose THREE questions to answer. Write your responses on a separate sheet of paper using well
developed paragraphs. Answer with complete ideas/sentences and specific details from the
story. Write as much as you know about each question, NOT only a bit of what you know.
Pretend your teacher has not read the story yet and this is her window into PEAK. Yes, you need to
explain why when needed.
Share your questions and answers with your group and discuss their thoughts and responses
as well.
1. Why is Max convinced he does not have a brain? Is his assessment of himself as a "butthead"
correct? Do our opinions of ourselves affect what others think of us? Do others' opinions of us
affect how we feel about ourselves?
2. How does Kevin prove to Max he is not a "butthead"? How does Kevin help Max learn how to
read and write?
3. Why is Freak's Christmas gift of the pyramid-shaped box and handwritten dictionary so
important to Max?
4. Why does Max call the first chapter of his book, "The Unvanquished Truth"?
5. Why do we care about what happens to max and Kevin? How does the author make us care
about them?
6. How does the location of Max's room "down under" relate to how he feels about himself?
7. How does Freak get Max out of his room? What is "magic" about their quests?
8. Does Freak really believe that he will be "the first bionically improved human" by having a
body transplant? What does Freak mean when he says "you can remember anything, whether it
happened or not?"
9. Why does Max agree with his father, who says, "I, Kenneth David Kane, do swear by all that's
Holy that I did not murder this boy's mother"? What does the story Kenny recounts about the
"injustice" that was done to him, tell us about him?
10. How are Kevin and Kenny similar in how they deal with the world? How are they different?
11. What is the irony in calling the tenements the New Testaments? What is ironic bout Killer Kane
posing as the Reverend Kenneth David Kane? Why is Kenny's remark that you should never
trust a cripple ironic?
12. Why does Loretta try to save Max? What does this tell us about her? Why is Max not surprised
when he sees her drunk at the end of the novel? How does she finally save Max?
13. Why is the scene with Kevin and the squirt gun funny? Does Kevin recognize the humor? Does
Max?
14. With whom is Max angry when he realizes that Kevin is dead? Why? What helps him get over
his anger?