Whirligig

In chapter seven of Whirligig, Brent's experiences and interactions involve his continued journey of self-discovery and redemption. He builds more whirligigs, meets new people, and reflects on his...

The whirligig affects Stephanie by gradually changing her perspective on life. Initially skeptical and scientific, she humors Alexandra's belief in visualization but remains doubtful. However, by the...

```xhtml Brent's immaturity in Whirligig is shown through several quotes. Initially, his tantrums, such as when he attacks Chaz at a party, reveal his inability to control anger. He lies about his...

Whirligig is a young adult novel. It was written by American author Paul Fleischmann and published in 1998. It tells the story of Brent Bishop who embarks on a journey of atonement across America,...

Chapter 4 of Whirligig is significant as it highlights how Brent's whirligig, a wooden marching band, impacts a man's life. The man, seeking peace from his chaotic family, realizes through the...

In chapter 6 of "Whirligig," the whirligig symbolizes the pressure to succeed and the need for rest. Tony, under immense pressure from his parents and cultural expectations, relates to Brent's...

Brent turns up to a chess-themed party despite not having been invited. At that party, the host Chaz plans a giant chess game, and wants Brent to be one of the pieces. Brent is none too pleased at...

Flaco's role in Paul Fleischman's Whirligig is that of a Puerto Rican immigrant who encounters one of Brent's whirligigs. The whirligig impacts him by providing a sense of peace and connection to his...

In chapter 5 of Whirligig, Brent's on his way to San Diego after having had a pretty unpleasant time of it in San Francisco. The experience hasn't been a dead loss, however, as he's bought himself...

In the book, we read of individual whirligig encounters in the chapters that have location names: “Weeksboro, Maine,” “Miami, Florida,” “Bellevue, Washington,” and San Diego, California.” These are...

Two appear in the fifth chapter, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Here Brent is staying at the hostel in San Diego, when he hears and sees a man playing a concertina. (A concertina is an accordion,...

In Whirligig by Paul Fleischman, Brent and Jonathan are introduced as high school students attending a party. Brent is self-conscious and eager to fit in, while Jonathan is more confident and...

When you re-read a chapter with a specific focus in mind – like searching for a symbol – you may surprise yourself by what you discover the second or third time around. I found three potentially...

Throughout his journey, Brent meets a variety of people who he connects with. When Brent meets Emil, Brent imagines him as some sort of smarter, better version of himself, since they look similar...

There are nine chapters in the novel Whirligig. Chapter Eight is titled San Diego, California. As the chapter begins, Jenny is portrayed as a typical fifteen year old teenager. It is her task to...

Brent's journey towards self-forgiveness in Whirligig involves his cross-country trip to build whirligigs in memory of Lea, the girl he unintentionally killed. Through the physical act of creating...

One of the main themes of Whirligig by Paul Fleischman is that actions can have far-reaching consequences, many of which are entirely unpredictable. Brent's atonement for the death of Lea by making...

The chapters of Whirligig alternate between the events and actions in Brent Bishop’s life and those of the people who encounter the four whirligigs he has installed. In “Weeksboro, Maine,” we meet...

If you are referring to the female artist Brent met in Weeksboro, Maine, the answer is that the author never reveals the name of the woman. Both Brent and the artist share an intimate...

Brent's first experience with the harmonica is not a pleasant one. He becomes discouraged. Despite this, he continues to work on his whirligig project.

The idea of forgiveness in chapter 8 comes from a comparison of the characters Brent and the grandmother. Brent's experience building the whirligig in chapter 5 and the grandmother's experience of...

Like most young adults, Brent Bishop wants to be popular, and he wants to fit in. So one night he goes to a party. His fateful decision will change his life forever, and end someone else's. At the...

In Whirligig, Brent Bishop is the main character. All of the action revolves around him and his choices. He decides to go to the party, he gets drunk and angry, he takes his hands off the steering...

In "Apprentices," Brent serves as both a teacher and a learner. He begins building a whirligig on a Florida beach, attracting local schoolchildren who assist him and teach him about the beach. This...

Brent is an only child. His family is materially well-off, and his life is comfortable, although his parents seem to be emotionally distant. Brent and his family have been in Chicago for only a few...

For his birthday, Tony asks "for a new baseball mitt, a remote-control car, a Nintendo, and a gift certificate to Sam's Sports Cards".  He receives "...two shirts, a microscope, a new music...

In Chapter Eight, Jenny takes her grandmother for a drive. Although Jenny is anxious about driving a manual car, her grandmother seems to be oblivious to Jenny's discomfort. Before long, Jenny...

In Chapter 5, titled "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," Brent realizes that he hasn't packed any long-sleeved shirts, nor has he remembered to pack shampoo. As a result, he's too cold, and his hair is...

First of all, Brent is stressed out when he shows up at the party because his friend Jonathan forgot to tell him about the dress code. The theme of the party is chess, and everyone's supposed to...

Maine is Brent's last stop before he heads home. After planting his last whirligig on the artist's property, he feels that he is finally ready to meet his family again and to face Lea's mother. He...

Alexandra feels that the spot by the whirligig is a good place to visualize things because the whirligig itself exemplifies the tenets of guided imagery. According to Alexandra, guided imagery is a...

The Weeksboro whirligig was different in the sense that it was built without reference to Brent's whirligig book. Because he had misplaced his book, Brent decided to build his last whirligig using...

In Paul Fleishman's novel Whirligig, seventeen-year-old Brent Bishop travels across the country to atone for accidentally killing a teenage girl, Lea, while driving home drunk one night. Lea’s...

In Whirligig, Brent learns that despite his attempts to be anonymous, he is still part of a community. Brent learns how people are connected even in ways they might not realize. He learns that...

We don’t know the real name of the main character in this chapter. He’s originally from Puerto Rico, and people call him Flaco because he is skinny. He feels the frustrations and stresses of his...

In Chapter 2, we meet eighth graders Alexandra and Steph. They’re long-time friends, even though they have very different personalities. Alexandra is a more take-charge, outgoing person. She likes...

The story takes place at various periods of time. The accident in which Brent kills Lea takes place in May.  Brent's hearings and meeting with Lea's mother take place in the following weeks,...

Lea, a young girl from Florida who died of cancer at age eight, was the victim of a hit-and-run driver on Christmas Eve. The driver never admitted to his crime, and he was not identified. Brent...

This question must refer to the seventh chapter, called “Apprentices.” While Brent is building his third whirligig near a beach in Tampa, Florida, some children become interested in what he’s...

Alexandra and Steph show up in the second chapter, titled “Weeksboro, Maine.” They’re eighth graders, and it’s Christmas time, so a lot of snow is on the ground. Alexandra thinks Steph should get a...

Brent's parents love him, but they are very caught up in their own materialistic wants and do not really see who Brent is. While the family eats dinner together, they do it in front of the tv and...

Brent is using the whirligig as a way to heal himself and to get over his anger at Lea for leaving him. It’s also about his lack of confidence, because he’s never done anything like this before. As...

At the end of the novel, Brent considers traveling before going home. With his whirligig project finished, Brent believes that he can confidently face his parents and Lea's mother again. He is also...

The construction of this novel is especially interesting because the climax, which usually comes closer to the end of the book, actually occurs about a third of the way through, in Chapter 3, when...

Alexandra and Stephanie are friends who enjoy reading books.

"Whirligig" employs various comparisons and similes to enhance its narrative. One notable simile is when Brent's emotions are compared to a "stormy sea," illustrating his inner turmoil. Another...

Chaz, in Paul Fleischman's Whirligig is one of the most popular people at Montford, the private school our main character attends. Chaz is known for throwing large elaborate parties, and this night...

Three key words to consider for the whole story are whirligig, penance, and atonement. A whirligig is a wooden toy that has arms that whirl or move whenever the wind blows. Brent has to make four...

In Paul Fleischman's novel Whirligig, the main character, Brent Bishop, has recently moved with his family to Chicago. It is from there that he sets out on his peculiar trek in an effort to atone...

In the book, Jenny is a teenager who discovers one of Brent's whirligigs in San Diego. According to the story, she lives with her parents and ailing grandmother. One day, Jenny's grandmother asks...