Discussion Topic

Key Events, Plot Points, and Themes in Freak the Mighty

Summary:

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick is centered around the deep friendship between Max and Kevin (Freak), two boys who support each other despite their physical and learning disabilities. Key plot points include their adventures and the challenges they face, such as Max's kidnapping by his father, "Killer" Kane, and Kevin's subsequent rescue of Max. The story explores themes of friendship, transformation, and the idea of misfits finding strength in each other. The book concludes with Kevin's death and Max honoring their friendship by writing about their adventures.

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What are the key events in chapters 8 and 9 of Freak the Mighty?

Chapter Eight, "Dinosaur Brain," shows the aftermath of Freak the Mighty's pond escape. When the cops describe what happened to Grim, they make it sound like Max is a hero for saving Freak. Max doesn't see the big deal, and he feels like it was Freak's brain that saved them. This is an important moment because it builds the relationship between Max and Grim:

Grim claps his hands together and he says, "Of course you can, son," and it's like whoa! because he never calls me that.

Thanks to Freak, Max has a "pretty cool summer." He tells us that he usually just sits in the basement all day, but "Freak changes that" and they go have adventures. Freak also shows Max how to look up words in the dictionary.

By chapter Nine, "Life is Dangerous," the friends have gotten accustomed to Freak riding on Max's shoulders. In this chapter, Freak the Mighty walk to the Medical Research building of the hospital. Freak tells Max that he will become a bionically engineered human. At first, Max doesn't totally understand, or even believe him, until Freak persists.

I can tell he really means it. This isn't a pretend quest, or making houses into castles or swimming pools into moats. This is why we came here, so Freak could show me where he's been. The place is important to him. I understand this much, even if I still don't understand about bionics or whatever it means to be a human robot.

After we read the whole novel, we understand the importance of this.

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What are the key events in chapters 8 and 9 of Freak the Mighty?

In chapter 8, the boys are settling into a pretty cool summer.  The most important event that happens is that Freak comes to accept that although Max does not understand as many words as Freak, it does not matter.  The dinosaurs had tiny brains, and they did just fine.

“A dragon is fear of the natural world,” Freak says.  “An archetype of the unknown.”

I go, “What’s an archy-type?” and Freak sighs … (ch 8, p. 45)

In chapter 9, we are reminded how comfortable Max and Freak have gotten with each other.

It’s a habit by now, Freak riding up high on my shoulders and using his little feet to steer me if I forget where we’re going.  (ch 9, p. 48)

The two have developed an easy friendship, and are enjoying spending time together.  Freak guides Max to the hospital and the Fortress, a hospital annex.  Freak says that it’s really an Experimental Bionic Unit.  He makes Max swear by spitting in his hand to not tell anyone.  He promises Max a new body.

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In Freak the Mighty chapter 16, can you summarize the action and name the characters involved?

The summary of the action in chapter 16 of Freak the Mighty involves Max’s kidnapping by his father, Kenny “Killer” Kane. Max is in bed on Christmas Eve when he suddenly feels a hand cover his mouth and hears his father whispering the words, “I came back. … Like I promised.” Kane swears to Max that Kane never killed anyone and says they are going to have an “adventure” together. Max is paralyzed with fear. As a result, Max doesn’t struggle at all when Kane forces him out into the snow without even allowing Max to put on the appropriate clothing. First, Kane and Max “visit” Loretta and Iggy in the tenements where they eat greasy burgers and talk about going to “the place” that Kane told the two about. Loretta, ironically, is the person to whom Max and Kevin returned the purse on one of their adventures. At this point, Loretta is drunk and passes out. It should be obvious to the reader, though, that both Iggy and Loretta are scared of Kane.

In conclusion, one could say that the action of this chapter involves Max’s kidnapping while the characters involved are Max, Kenny “Killer” Kane, Loretta, and Iggy.

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Summarize chapters 20-25 of Freak The Mighty.

Chapters 20-25 of Freak the Mighty involve Kevin’s rescue of Max all the way through the end of the book. In Chapter 20, Max is tied to the boiler in the basement of an old house due to Kenny "Killer" Kane's mistreatment. Kevin shows up with a squirt gun full of “acid” and squirts Kane while Max escapes (with the help of Loretta Lee). As Kane runs outside a “million cops” are waiting to take him back to jail. In Chapter 21, the two boys enjoy the attention at school due to the rescue, but Max is worried about having to testify against his father. In Chapter 22, Kevin’s thirteenth birthday arrives. Unfortunately, as Max and Kevin celebrate, Kevin has a seizure which puts him in the hospital. In Chapter 23, Max goes to visit Kevin in the hospital. Kevin is now in the ICU instead of the regular “Medical Research” wing.  This causes Max to worry more. During the visit, Kevin has another seizure and eventually dies. Chapter 25 contains the aftermath of Kevin’s death. Max takes Kevin’s death hard, but he eventually decides to take Kevin’s advice and “write it all down” about the adventures of “Freak the Mighty.” In this way, Max immortalizes his best friend, Kevin.

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What is an important event in Freak the Mighty?

This book is filled with many events that most readers would classify as "important." I'll provide some of those events in the following list:

  • Kevin (Freak) moves in next door to Max. This is pivotal to the entire story; I don't believe that Max and Kevin would have become the amazing duo that they became without this proximity.
  • Max's dad is paroled from prison. This is important because it leads to the next important moment.
  • Max's dad, Killer Kane, kidnaps Max on Christmas Eve.
  • Kevin rescues Max from his father.
  • Kevin has a seizure and goes to the hospital. Max goes to visit Kevin. Kevin gives Max a blank book, and he tells Max to fill it with stories of their adventures. This book eventually becomes the book that we, as readers of Freak the Mighty, are experiencing.
  • Kevin dies. This is a massively important moment in the book because it sends Max into a depressive spiral for about a full year. Then, Max starts to write in the blank book that Kevin gave him, and readers are blessed with the story that they just read.
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What is an important event in Freak the Mighty?

Kevin and Max have many adventures during the novel, Freak the Mighty, but the most serious and dangerous one comes on Christmas night. After a wonderful holiday, Max suddenly awakes from a pleasant dream to find his father, "Killer" Kane, hovering over him. Max is kidnapped and taken to the projects, the New Testaments. His father holds him in a dirty, abandoned apartment, where "Killer" tells him that he plans to take Max away with him. "Killer" learns that the police are after him, so he moves Max to another, more delapidated apartment where he bounds and gags Max in the basement. Max manages to free himself, with the help from Loretta, but "Killer" intervenes and begins choking the woman. Max attacks his father, who then begins to choke Max. But, like Lancelot to the rescue, Kevin suddenly appears and sprays a concoction of spices into the eyes of Max's father, temporarily blinding him, and the police return "Killer" to custody. As the Fair Gwen carries him away, Kevin calls out "Freak the Mighty strikes again!"

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What are the plot points in Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick?

I believe that this question is asking about the standard five-part plot chart that includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

The exposition of this story introduces readers to Max. He has an extremely low opinion of himself. He lives with his grandparents, and something from his past haunts him.

The rising actions of this story include meeting Kevin and their adventures together. Some of those adventures include running away from bullies and meeting criminal types like Iggy and Loretta. Max will eventually get kidnapped by his crazy, wife-murdering father, and that leads into the climax.

The climax is Max being tied up by Killer Kane in the basement of a house and then being rescued by Kevin. The falling action includes Kevin dying as a result of the disease that he has, and Max falling into a deep depression.

The story concludes with Max working through his depression via writing. He writes and writes and eventually finishes having written a book called Freak the Mighty.

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What are the plot points in Freak The Mighty by Rodman Philbrick?

There are a few key points throughout the story that help to either foreshadow what is to come later or to move the plot forward. At these points, readers might feel a sense of heightened tension and wonder what will happen next. Other than getting to know Max and Kevin as individuals who struggle alone in the world, a major point in each of their lives is when they learn to work together. Kevin's brains and Max's phisique are what each bring to the table to help the other have an easier time getting through life. Once that friendship and partnership is solidified, then each must face his inevitable fate; that is, Max must meet his convict father eventually and Kevin must face death. Max's dad is spoken about throughout the story, especially when the boys bump into old friends of his. That moves the plot further. When Kevin has to visit the doctor more and more, that moves his plot closer to his end, too.

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What is the theme of Freak the Mighty?

I would argue that the central theme of Freak the Mighty is friendship. Kevin and Max are both misfits who do not fit in with their peers due to their respective physical and learning disabilities (and Max's murderous father). The author shows that because of their respective disabilities, each child is capable of seeing the other child as a human being and potential friend. Kevin and Max in many ways become one person to overcome their respective limitations. Max utilizes his physical strength to help Kevin navigate the world more easily, and he also thinks Kevin's crutches and leg braces are cool. Kevin uses his imagination and intellect to give Max hope and encourage him in managing his learning disability. Both children become stronger (as individual units and as a team) because of their friendship.

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What is the overall theme of Freak the Mighty?

The overall theme of Freak the Mighty is friendship:  specifically the inspiring friendship of Kevin and Max.  Through this friendship, the two characters overcome their limitations in different ways. Kevin has a birth defect that requires him to wear leg braces and walk with crutches.  Max has a severe learning disability and is too big for his age. The two become friends and overcome their limitations by creating the dual character of “Freak the Mighty,” which involves Kevin climbing on Max’s shoulders. This united character helps Kevin get around and gives Max the self-confidence he needs to overcome his learning disability. The two friends, teamed up as “Freak the Mighty,” go on many adventures. The most important scene, the climax, happens when Max is kidnapped by his father, Kenny “Killer” Kane, and Kevin saves Max. Unfortunately, Kevin dies near the end of the novel due to his birth defect, but Max is able to immortalize Kevin by writing down their adventures in the book that becomes Freak the Mighty.

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How does the theme of family and friendship manifest in Freak the Mighty?

There is definitely a strong theme of family and friendship in Freak the Mighty. What's nice about this story is that the family and friendship theme is not always a nice "feel good" theme, either. For example, Max's real dad is a horrible person. Kane killed Max's mother in front of Max. Max goes through the entire novel being terrified of his father and wanting nothing to do with him. Max hates the very genetics that he holds inside of himself. It's not a fun way to look at family, but I appreciate how the author shows that not all families are perfect and wonderful. Grim and Gram are Max's grandparents, so they are family to Max. They take care of Max and treat him well, but they are not the emotional core of Max or the story.

Kevin is the emotional anchor for Max. Their relationship clearly illustrates a theme of friendship. This story is not about having lots of friends. This story is about the importance of having a good, close friendship. Max and Kevin do not have a lot of friends. They are both looked at as freaks of various kinds; however, that is what draws them together. They are both broken, but together they are whole. They find ways to support each other, and they find ways to have fun together, too. When Kevin dies, Max isn't just sad because he lost his friend. He's sad because he feels like he has lost a part of himself. That's what the theme of friendship shows in this book.

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What is the major theme of Rodman Philbrick's Freak the Mighty?

Rodman Philbrick's Freak the Mighty details the story of two boys, Max and Kevin, who desperately need each other. The boys, dependant upon one another for very different reasons, thrive in the company of one another. It is only through their friendship that each is able to grow. 

One of the main themes of the novel is transformation. Each of the boys transforms individually through their friendship. Reminiscent of O. Henry's "The Gift of the Maji," each possesses something which the other needs in order to feel a part of the world and loved. Kevin, crippled from birth, relies upon Max to feel the freedom other children feel. Max, large for his size and shunned for it, feels acceptance from Kevin (something he needs in order to accept himself). 

Both boys transform from individuals who cannot necessarily function "normally" in the world into ones who can. It is only as Freak the Mighty (the pair of them) that they are able to find the strength to face any and everything. Even with Kevin's death, and the loss of one half of Freak the Mighty, Max comes out transformed. He finds inner strength which allows him to move on with his life.

Both boys need the other to insure the transformation of each of them. Max needs Kevin to see his importance. Kevin needs Max to see that he can change the world. 

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What are the themes in Freak the Mighty?

Rodman Philbrick’s novel explores themes of friendship, individuality versus conformity, and transformation. Freak the Mighty is a composite that represents the growing friendship of Kevin and Max. As the two boys look beyond each other’s problems and find each other’s positive qualities, they learn to depend on each other. Friendship as well as complementary physical and mental attributes makes their combination much stronger than the sum of its parts.

Previously, their social worlds had been very uncomfortable for them because many of the other children were unkind. The author portrays their environment as one in which conformity was encouraged, and those who were perceived as deviants were often ostracized or bullied. Identifying and valuing one’s individual attributes is a key step, Philbrick suggests, in escaping the negative effects of pressure to conform.

While the two boys are together transformed into one giant combination character, each of them also undergoes interior transformations that include growing self-confidence. While recognizing one’s positive traits is the impetus for personal growth, the author also emphasizes that this must be combined with extending oneself into trusting others.

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Summarize the events on pages 128-129 in Freak the Mighty.

(I will attempt to give you a summary of these page numbers, but you should understand that different copies of the text--including hardback vs. paperback--will provide different page numbers. When requesting information on eNotes, you should refer to the chapter number; if page numbers are essential, you should note the date of the edition you are using, but the eNotes editor may be using a different version. This summary comes from pages 128-129 of the first paperback edition from 1993.)

These are the first two pages of the important Chapter 20: Freak the Mighty Strikes Again. Max's father, Killer Kane, is in the midst of strangling Loretta Lee, who has come to Max's rescue in the abandoned basement where the Kanes have spent the night. Max is still partially tied up, and he knows

... you can't stop Killer Kane... He's made of iron and steel...

Max pleads with his father to stop strangling Loretta, just as he has done Max's mother. Max screams that "I saw you kill Mom," and as he tries to push his father off Loretta, he flashes back to when he was a child and witnessed his father kill his mother in much the same manner. Finally, Killer Kane releases Loretta, and he turns his attentions to his son. Killer argues that Max was too young to remember, and that Max's grandparents have brainwashed him into believing the story. But Max even remembers the clothes his father was wearing: brown corduroy pants and a sleevless black t-shirt. Killer finally realizes that Max was a witness, and he decides he must "clean this up and get out of here."

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What are the main events in the fourth paragraph of Freak the Mighty?

Maxwell (Max) Kane, one of the protagonists of Rodman Philbrick's Freak the Mighty, is the narrator of the novel. In the fourth paragraph, Max is describing what happened when his grandparents (his caretakers) placed him "with other little critters his own age." 

Instead of "playing nice," Max invented numerous kicking games: kicking teachers, kicking faces, kicking knees, and kicking other kids. Max created these kicking games because he found the hugging stuff a "rotten lie." Essentially, Max did not believe in the "phony hugs" promoted by the adults around him. Instead, Max found kicking others far more pleasurable. This is where Max was given his nickname Kicker. 

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