In Chapter 9 of Freak the Mighty, why do Kevin and Max go to the hospital?
At the beginning of Chapter 9, “Life Is Dangerous,” in Freak the Mighty, Max believes they are going on another quest or adventure - like normal. However, this journey, according to Max, was a lot longer than others. He says, “I’ll bet we’ve gone ten miles at least, because my legs think it’s a hundred, and even as light as Freak is, he’s starting to feel heavy” (50). In other words, Max has been walking for a VERY long time with Kevin on his shoulders.
Eventually, they end up at their final destination, or “Fortress,” as Kevin refers to it (50). The final destination is a new building that has been added onto the hospital for medical research. After making Max swear that he won’t tell anyone, Kevin finally reveals why they are there. He tells Max, “Inside the research building is a secret laboratory called The Experimental Bionics...
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Unit. The unit’s mission is to develop a new form of bionic robot for human modification” (51).
At first, Max doesn’t quite understand what Kevin is talking about, nor does he really believe him. Kevin expresses his complete honesty by explaining that he has already begun the preliminary tests. He says, “They’re fitting me for a bionic transplant, I’m going to be the first” (52).
While Max still doesn’t quite understand the idea of bionics, he does begin to understand why they walked so far to get here. It turns out that this wasn’t really a quest. The medical research building was something that Freak wanted Max to see. In order for Max to understand his situation, Freak had to be vulnerable and expose his experiences. Freak is expressing the obstacles he has already overcome as well as what lies ahead for him, which is the ultimate show of trust in a friendship.
Why did Kevin and Max visit the hospital in Freak the Mighty?
Kevin "Freak" Avery suffers from a rare metabolic disorder called Morquio Syndrome, which negative effects his metabolism and abnormally affects his bone and spine development. In the story, Kevin becomes close friends with Maxwell Kane and the two boys team up to make the dynamic duo Freak the Mighty. Kevin understands that he will not live a long life because of his extremely rare medical condition. In order to cope with such a tragic situation, Kevin develops the idea of having a bionic body that will extend his life. In chapter nine, Max and Kevin walk for miles on an adventure while Freak pretends that they are on a fascinating quest. Kevin eventually leads Max to a new building added to the back of the hospital that has "MEDICAL RESEARCH" written on the door. Kevin then explains to Max that he will be the first bionically improved human and says that he has been visiting the facility for months. He goes on to tell Max that when the time comes, he will eventually receive a new bionic body. Later on, Kevin is rushed to the hospital after having a seizure during his birthday party and tragically dies.
Kevin and Max are the two teenage outcasts in the Rodman Philbrick novel, Freak the Mighty. Kevin is a very intelligent but physically stunted teen who suffers from the rare Morquio Syndrome, which forces him to use leg braces in order to walk. Max is the tall but socially deprived teenager who lives with his grandparents. The two boys first meet each other while in day care, but they become close friends after Kevin's mother moves next door to Max. When Max hoists Kevin onto his shoulders, together they become Freak the Mighty.
The two boys complete their 8th grade year, but shortly afterward Kevin is rushed to the hospital on his birthday. When Max finally visits his friend, Kevin has another attack. Max comes back to visit the next day, but he finds that Kevin has died. It is the end of the twosome that together makes Freak the Almighty.