From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

by E. L. Konigsburg

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Discussion Topic

Important events in "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler."

Summary:

Important events in "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" include Claudia and Jamie running away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, discovering a mysterious statue, and investigating its origins. Their adventure leads them to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, who helps them uncover the statue's secret, ultimately teaching them about self-discovery and the value of curiosity.

Expert Answers

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List three important events from Chapters 5 and 6 in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

In Chapter 5, Claudia and Jamie go to the library to look for books on Michelangelo.  Claudia assigns Jamie the task of looking for photographs of Angel, while she herself focuses on reading and remembering as much as she can.

After they return to the Museum, Jamie hides in the men's room to escape detection at closing time.  He overhears workers saying that they would be moving the statue of Angel that night.

Jamie and Claudia bathe in the fountain at night in the deserted Museum.  They discover "income" on the floor of the fountain - coins that people have tossed in while making wishes during the day.

In Chapter 6, Claudia and Jamie study the velvet which had been placed under the statue.  They discover the imprint of an "M" in the soft material, which they believe might be proof that Michelangelo was its creator.

The children go to the Museum bookstore to find out what the "M" means.  They find a book that shows that the symbol they found on the velvet is indeed Michelangelo's stonemason's mark.

On a typewriter displayed in front of a store on Fifth Avenue, Claudia types a letter to the Museum telling about their discovery.  The children plan to mail it the next day, Monday.

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What are three important events in Chapters 7 and 8 of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler?

Three important events that happen in Chapter 7 are:

  • Claudia and Jamie go to the post office and rent a post office box for four dollars and fifty cents.  Jamie rents the box under the name of "Angelo Michaels", and gives his address as "Marblehead, Massachusetts".
  • Claudia and Jamie return to the Museum and are surprised to see Jamie's third grade class touring the exhibits with their teacher, Miss Clendennan.  Fortunately, Claudia and Jamie are hiding in a tomb that is part of one of the exhibits at the time, and their presence is not detected. 
  • Pretending he is running an errand for the third grade class, Jamie goes to the museum office to deliver the letter he and Claudia have written, expounding on their theory about the identity of the sculptor of "Angel".

Three important events that happen in Chapter 8 are:

  • Claudia and Jamie receive a reply to their letter from the Public Relations Department of the Museum.  Although the letter is polite, it informs the children that the clue they are providing is one that the Museum has known about for a long time.
  • Having failed to find out if Michaelangelo really was the creator of "Angel", Jamie is ready to go home.  Claudia, however, wants to continue in the search for the sculptor's identity, and feels she cannot go home until she discovers something.
  • Under Claudia's urging, the children decide to go to Farmington, Connecticut to see Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the previous owner of the statue.
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What are two important events in the third chapter of "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler"?

The first and most obvious important event is that Claudia and her brother, Jamie, actually make it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is important since the two previous chapters have been all about Claudia and Jamie trying to get there. It's equally important because most of the rest of the book takes place at the museum.

Another important event is less obvious because it's a small moment between sister and brother, but it has a big impact. On page 38, Jamie and Claudia both tell each other the other isn't "that bad." This is significant because Jamie and Claudia have spent much of the novel so far fighting. The author highlights the importance of this moment when she writes, "Something happened precisely at that moment."

What happened? She explains a paragraph later that, "What happened was: they became a team, a family of two."

Jamie and Claudia are finally getting along, which is crucial if they're going to fulfill their plan of staying overnight at the museum.

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