Study Guide for Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes

Chapter 1

  1. Why does Ms. Lemry call Eric “Eric Enigma”?
  1. What is ironic about Sarah Byrnes name?
  1. Explain the Crispy Pork Rinds flashback.

Chapter 2

  1. What situation prompted Sarah to say “Every time you let somebody take your stuff, or let them see you hurt, you get killed”?

Chapter 3

On the far side – drops to both knees, throwing his head back as he stretches his wide, and loudly begs Jesus to come swim the laps for him.

  1. Who does this? Why is it funny? Who is this character making fun of?
  1. What happened at swim practice?
  1. Why did Dale Thornton corner Norm Nickerson and force him to read Crispy Pork Rinds?

Chapter 4

  1. What creative plan did Sarah use to help Eric escape from Dale Thornton? Did it work?
  1. What do we learn about Sarah’s past through Dale?

Chapter 5

  1. What deal do Eric and Sarah make with Dale?
  1. Who is Jody?
  1. What is the significance of the discussion in Lemry’s class and how did it relate to Sarah Byrnes?

Chapter 6

For the first year, I ate like more of a pig than I am just to show her I wouldn’t get svelte and handsome and popular so she’d have to hate me, but as workouts increased in length and intensity, my eating barrage couldn’t stand up to my changing metabolism and I began to get occasional glimpses of my feet.

  1. What is the significance of the above quote? How does it tie into the theme of the book?

Chapter 7

  1. Why did Eric go to Dale Thornton’s?
  1. What was the significance of this note: 1-800-FAT-BOY doesn’t have enough digits to be a real phone number. Please advise.
  1. The hammer hits my stomach with such force that my knees turn to rubber. This was Eric’s reaction to a piece of news that Dale gave him. What was that news?

Chapter 8

  1. List students from Lemry’s class based on their beliefs regarding the abortion issue. Where do you think Lemry stands?
  1. What was Ellerby’s argument with regard to the abortion issue?
  1. At the end of the class what caused Eric to stand dazed at his locker having forgotten where his next class is, or what it is for that matter?

Chapter 9

  1. This chapter shows that people feel comfortable confiding in Eric. Who confided in Eric? What secrets did they share with him?

Chapter 10

  1. Why did the hospital staff escort Virgil Byrnes away from the psych ward?

Chapter 11

  1. Summarize the information in Sarah’s letter.
  1. What does Ms. Lemry suggest they do?

Chapter 12

  1. Why did Mautz call Eric into his office? What is your opinion of Mautz? Explain.
  1. How did Sarah react when Eric told her that he confided in Ms. Lemry?

Chapter 13

  1. What happened in Ms. Lemry’s class? Describe the confrontations.

Chapter 14

  1. What tragic event occurred that made Lemry’s Contemporary American Thought class feel as if we’d been kicked in the collective stomach.?
  2. What risk did Sarah and Ms. Lemry take?

Chapter 15

  1. What happened in Mr. Mautz’s office?
  1. Why might Eric be in danger?

Chapter 16

  1. Describe the events that occur in this chapter. Why might this be considered the climax of the book?

Chapter 17

  1. What happened in Reno?

Chapter 18

  1. What did Eric do to foil Sarah’s plan?

Chapter 19

  1. Why might this chapter be called “Ain’t it a trip where heroes come from?”
  1. Why did Eric say Use all my college money to get him a lawyer.?

Epilogue

  1. How was the story resolved?

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