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What are Mrs. Chatham's character and physical traits in Frindle by Andrew Clements?

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Mrs. Chatham, principal of Lincoln Elementary in Frindle, is described as tall and wide, resembling a football linebacker, and often wears a long black raincoat with a red silk scarf. She is stern and serious, carefully choosing her words and upholding her belief in school authority. Despite her sternness, she shows an understanding nature, acknowledging differing perspectives, though she remains firm in her stance against the use of "frindle."

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In Chapter 9 of Andrew Clements' Frindle, Mrs. Margaret Chatham, principle of Lincoln Elementary School, schedules a conference with Nick and his parents at Nick's house. During the conference, the narrator notes several character and physical traits of Mrs. Chatham.

One physical trait the narrator notes is that she is an extremely tall and wide person. She is "as tall as Nick's dad, with wide shoulders," which is significant since the narrator also notes that Nick's dad was a football linebacker in college (p. 47). She is also dressed in a "long black raincoat" and "red silk scarf" (p. 47). Later, Nick feels that he and Mrs. Granger are in a chess match, and Mrs. Chatham, in her black coat, represents the black queen on the chessboard.

As for character traits, Mrs. Chatham comes across as rather stern ; she sternly believes she must uphold her own...

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perspective about what is right in order to protect the school. She comes off as stern when she refuses to greet Nick with a smile. She also comes off as stern by refusing any hospitality. She refuses hospitality by refusing to remove her coat, only her scarf, and by declining Mrs. Allen's offer of "coffee and banana bread" (p. 50).

Yet, though she sternly upholds her own view that Nick must stop using the word frindle to protect the school, she also demonstrates that she has an understanding nature, which is seen when she does her best to understand everyone's perspective. She demonstrates her understanding nature when she replies to Mrs. Allen's comment that the whole school seems to be making a lot of silly fuss over nothing, saying, "Yes, I suppose it does seem silly" (p. 48). Yet, regardless of agreeing that the situation is silly, Mrs. Chatham also upholds her belief that insisting on using a made-up word shows a "lack of respect for authority" (p. 48). By the end of the conference, no issues have really been resolved, and Mrs. Chatham accepts that, being satisfied to at least have had her say and spoken on behalf of Mrs. Granger.

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In Frindle, what are Mrs. Chatham's physical characteristics and actions?

Mrs. Margaret Chatham was a tall woman with wide shoulders.  Nick compared her to a football linebacker because she had a large body and was as tall as his dad.  When she went to the Allen house to talk to Nick's parents, she wore "a long black raincoat with a red silk scarf tied loosely around her neck."

Lincoln Elementary School had had Mrs. Chatham as their principal for eighteen years.  She was a serious person.  When speaking, she chose her words carefully.  Nick saw Mrs. Chatham as "the black queen."

When Judy Morgan, the reporter, came to the school, Mrs. Chatham "was not comfortable talking about" the frindle situation.  Mrs. Granger had created a poster "about the punishment for using the word frindle."  When Judy Morgan asked Mrs. Chatham about the poster, the principal laughed and brushed it off as if it were not a big deal.  The reporter thought that Mrs. Chatham's "laugh sounded phony."  When Judy Morgan asked more questions, the principal became uncomfortable and "squirmed a little in her chair."

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