How does The Wednesday Wars end?

The Wednesday Wars consists of multiple storylines that come together at the end of the book after the main character, Holling Hoodhood, has weathered personal upsets and tumultuous times. He grew up in the 1960s in a time of social and political unrest, and he had been witness to disturbing events, including the Vietnam War and the assassinations of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King. He had experienced a conflict in his personal life, too, as he dealt with an overbearing father and a runaway sister. By the end of the story, Holling has gained confidence in himself, and he is able to stand up to his father, who unlike Holling, believes that the most important things in life were business and social position.

Holling also learned to accept war and death as natural parts of life, but to focus on the good experiences that come hand in hand with the bad. After his sister leaves home, for instance, he realizes how much she means to him, and after, and after watching the horrors of the war, he enjoys the experience of watching Mrs. Baker’s husband return home. By the end of the story, Holling is also able to integrate what he learned from reading Shakespeare into his real-life experiences, which he realizes was Mrs. Baker’s intention all along.

What event was the turning point, or climax, of the story Wednesday Wars?

I believe that the turning point or climax of the story occurs in May, when Holling returns home after taking a tour of the city's distinctive architecture with Mrs. Baker, and spending time with her at St. Adelbert's, praying for all the people in his life. With all the elements of his awakening to others in place, he enters his house and feels its emptiness, understanding that the biggest part of the void there is because his sister is gone, and he loves her. Holling says,

"Maybe the first time that you know you really care about something is when you think about it not being there, and you know - you really know - that the emptiness is as much inside you as outside you."

By his own admission, this is the moment when he knows that he really does love his sister, and his love is unselfish, because he does not know "if he want(s) more for her to come back or for her to find whatever it (is) that she (is) trying to find." When Holling's sister calls to say that she needs help that night, Holling, who used to be a passive actor in his own life, takes positive action, standing up to his father and doing what is necessary to get her home safely. Through his experiences over the year, and with the help of Mrs. Baker and others who support him in his development as an honorable and courageous human being, Holling now has the maturity to be a giver instead of a taker, and he is able to prove it by saving his big sister with reasoned and effective support that is both practical and emotional (Chapter 9).

How is the conflict resolved in The Wednesday Wars?

In short, a conflict is resolved when we learn the outcome(s) of those involved. But let's first define conflict before we further explain resolution. Enotes.com defines conflict as, "actual or perceived opposition of needs, values and interests. A conflict can be internal (within oneself) [or with other] individuals." In respect to literature, this definition can be furthered by including man's conflict against nature. In short, there are three main conflicts: man vs man, man vs self, man vs nature.

Conflict with a character in literature is usually resolved either with compromise (negotiating) or conflict (violence). Because a conflict is resolved does not necessarily mean that all is weel and fine. While it could mean that two opponents shake hands and go their own way, it could also mean that someone is forced to submit through violence or, worse yet, through death. A resovled conflict can also be the place where the reader learns the fate of the character based off the conflict. Let's look at some examples.

Man vs Man

In Shakespeare's play, "Macbeth," Macbeth has assassinated the king in order to take his place. The more honorable Banquo is unhappy with the deed. Macbeth sees Banquo as a threat, so he kills Banquo. While that man vs man conflict is "resolved" it leads to other internal conflicts that eventually overwhelm Macbeth. Through this resolution, the reader sees how conflicts can compound, and then perpetuate themselves.

Man vs Nature

In Jack London's short story, "To Build a Fire," the protagonist is faced with a journey through cold and snow the likes of which he had yet to experience. The man is an experienced hiker, but he neglects all the signs that this was not a good time to journey. The man battles against the terrain and conditions (nature) but eventually submits to nature via hypothermia. The conflict is resolved in his acceptance of being defeated by a force much greater than himself. Through this resolution, the reader heeds the warnings short-sightedness.

What major events occur at the end of The Wednesday Wars?

A lot happens in the final two months of The Wednesday Wars.  A lot happens to Holling and the people that he knows, and some big events happen in the history of the United States as well.  

In April, Holling runs in his first meet and wins his cross country race.  April also ushers in opening day at Yankee Stadium.  To say that Holling is excited to go in an understatement.  Unfortunately, Holling's dad forgot to pick him up.  Instead Mrs. Baker ends up taking Holling to the game.  The players recognize her as an Olympic athlete, and they allow Holling to come on the field.  He gets to run around the bases, play catch with Yankee players, and basically live out every baseball fan's fantasy.  There is one other big April event for Holling.  He has his first kiss.  On a country wide basis, the big event is Martin Luther King Jr. being shot. 

In May, Holling's sister runs away.  She gets stranded, and Holling is the person to send her money to bring her home.  Mr. Hoodhood loses the contract to renovate Yankee stadium.  Mrs. Baker's husband is found, and he returns home by the end of the book.  Lastly, Bobby Kennedy dies.   

What is the climax of "The Wednesday Wars"?

While on the surface the book The Wednesday Wars may appear to be a simple coming-of-age novel set in the late 1960s, there are many underlying lessons interwoven in its pages and in the experiences of Holling Hoodhood. The climax of the book centers on the architectural tour that Holling and Mrs. Baker take, wherein Holling discovers something much larger that resides within himself—the ability to see beyond the surface of things, as children are prone to do. Holling begins to pay attention to what is inside—from physical structures to individual people and events that are taking place all around him. In learning to see more deeply into the world around him, Holling shows an awakening into manhood, leading to his ability to both recognize and admire Mrs. Baker, the woman he had assumed hated him all along. He now sees her actions from a man's point of view, rather than a child's.

What is the resolution in The Wednesday Wars?

In a work of literature, the resolution can be defined as that part of the story where the main problem is resolved or worked out. In The Wednesday Wars, the resolution comes when Mrs. Baker's husband is found alive and well, and Holling and his classmates go to the airport—along with Mrs. Baker, of course—to see him.

Mr. Baker had been serving in Vietnam and, like many of his comrades, was thought to be missing in action. Once Holling found out that Mr. Baker was missing in action, the harsh realities of the Vietnam War suddenly hit home. Prior to this moment, the war had always seemed so distant to Holling, something he only occasionally glimpsed in TV news reports. But when Mr. Baker goes missing, it becomes so terribly real all of a sudden.

As Holling gets closer to Mrs. Baker, he becomes more and more concerned over her missing husband's welfare. He even accompanies Mrs. Baker to church, where they pray and light a candle for the safe return of Mr. Baker.

Though the war is still raging by the end of the story, and Holling is worried at being called up for military duty in a few years' time, at least he has one less problem to deal with thanks to Mr. Baker's safe return.

What happens to the main characters at the end of The Wednesday Wars?

After Holling rescues his sister, he attends a class camping trip in the Catskills, where he recognizes the beauty and complexity of life and looks forward to his future. When Holling attends his friend's bar mitzvah, he once again displays maturity and self-awareness by challenging his father's perception of life. At the story's conclusion, Holling learns to accept Heather, Mrs. Baker, and Meryl Lee's love and is excited about exercising his independence as he continues to grow.

What happens in the middle and end of "The Wednesday Wars"?

In the middle, Holling and Mrs. Baker form a mutual aid society with Holling's giving her tips on how to come off well in her teacher's observations and Mrs. Baker coaching Holling in running. In the end, Holling meets baseball players who recognize Mrs. Baker from the Melbourne Olympics and Holling's dad has a terrible disappointment at work and home. While Holling turns out to be the hero of his house, single-handedly rescuing his sister when his parents act foolishly, Mrs. Baker's husband is located in Vietnam and flown home to reunite with her.