Name______Freak the Mighty Study Guide
Chapter 1
- Who is narrating the story? In what point of view is the story told?
Max is narrating the story. It is being told from the 1st person point of view.
2. List FIVE points about how the narrator describes himself. Add these traits to the
character descriptions page.Max is tall, calls himself a butthead, has a learning disability, doesn’t like to be hugged, has big feet, and always expects the worst.
3. Who does the narrator live with? The narrator lives with his grandmother and grandfather (Grim and Gram). Explain how they feel about him.According to the text in chapter 1, Grim says, “The boy is like Him, we’d better watch out, you never know what he might do while we’re sleeping.” This suggests that his grandfather doesn’t trust Max and may be scared of him.
4. What is Grim’s opinion of the narrator’s father? Give PROOF—quote from the story.“The boy is like Him, we’d better watch out, you never know what he might do while we’re sleeping. Like his father did.” This shows that Grim thinks Max’s father has done something wrong, so he does not like him.
5. When did Kevin and Max first meet?Kevin and Max first met in day care when they were about
three.
6. Describe little Freak. Add these traits to the character descriptions page.Freak is very short for his age, he has braces on his legs, he has a huge imagination, he is extremely intelligent.
7. How old is Max at the end of Chapter 1? Max is approximately 12 0r 13 at the end of chapter 1. It is the summer before 8th grade. Explain what is happening to him.According to the book, he is growing so fast that he is allowed to go barefoot because he’s “exploding out of his shoes.”
Chapter 2
1. Describe the “down under.” Max lives in the basement. He says there is crummy paneling, the rug smells like low tide, and there is only window. Does Max like the “down under”?Max says he likes the down under because he has the place all to himself.
2. When does the story take place? (setting)The story takes place in July, the summer before Kevin and Max go into 8th grade.
3. Who are the new neighbors? Describe them (Make FIVE points). Add these traits to
the character descriptions page.The new neighbors are Gwen and Kevin. Gwen is very pretty. She was friends with Max’s mother. She thinks Max’s dad is crazy. She said he made it difficult to hang out with Max’s mother.
4. Describe the meeting Max and Kevin.Despite being the bigger of the two, Max is actually frightened of Freak when they meet. Kevin says to Max, “Die, earthling, die!” as he points his crutch at him. Max believes he really means it.
Chapter 3
- Max says Kevin “scared” him. Explain what he meant.Max didn’t understand how someone as small as Kevin could have frightened him. He said it wasn’t the kind of scared that makes your knee bones feel like water.
2. Why is Kevin waving his crutch at the tree?Kevin is waving his crutch at the tree because he is trying to get his ornithopter, which is stuck, out of the tree. He is not tall enough to do so.
3. At the end of the chapter, where is Max pulling Kevin?Max pulls Kevin in a wagon to the “down under” – his bedroom.
4. Use a Venn Diagram to compare Max and Kevin.
How are they ALIKE? How are they DIFFERENT?
Max Kevin
Chapter 4
- Where does Chapter 4 take place? (setting)The setting for the chapter is the down under or Max’s bedroom
- 2. What is Kevin’s reaction to the “down under”?Kevin thinks it is cool that Max gets to live downstairs all by himself.
3.Why does Freak call his mom ‘Fair Gwen of Air’?Kevin is very into knights and battles, and Guinevere was the beautiful bride of King Arthur. He explains that “fair” used to mean beautiful and his mother is beautiful.
4. What does Freak compare the knights to and why?Freak compares the knights to robots because they wore metal armor to protest them.
5. What makes Freak so upset his “eyes blaze”?Freak’s eyes blaze when Max says that he didn’t know that robots were real. He thought they were only in movies.
6. Explain Freak’s opinion of television. Although Freak admits to watching TV, he calls it the “opiate of the massives,” or the drug for fatheads. He thinks that without books, people don’t know what is real of fake on TV.Do you agree or disagree with Freak? Why?
7. Does Max like to read? Due to his learning disability, Max does not like to read. In fact, he says he would rather “cut his toenails with a lawn mower or gargle nails than read a book.”
8. Why does Max think that the Fair Gwen ran away with Freak?Max thinks that because of his size, Gwen runs away with Freak because she is scared and thinks that Max meant to harm Freak.
Chapter 5
1. What are the two settings for this chapter?At the start of the chapter they are in Max’s basement room, and at the end of the chapter, they are in Kevin and Gwen’s apartment.
2. Why does Max go under his bed?Max goes under his bed because he is sad that Gwen seemed scared of him and that she dragged Kevin away. When he is under his bed he feels like he is floating like a cloud.
3. How does Max react to Gram referring to Kevin (Freak) as a “poor boy”?Max doesn’t understand because he feels like because Kevin is so smart, he should be considered very lucky. I think he envies that intelligence initially.
4. Why wasn’t Max excited to have dinner at Freak’s house?Max says that the idea of having dinner at Gwen’s house makes him feel “tensed up,” like there is a hand inside of his stomach balled up in a fist. She knows that he is scared of him.
5. Freak explains to Max that his mother is nervous because Max is the “spitting image of
your old man.” What else does she say about Max’s father (either in your own words or in
quotes)?Gwen says that Max’s father was crazy and scary. She said he made if difficult for her to hang out with Max’s mom after they got married.
6. Because of what Gwen says and the conversation between Grim and Gram in Chapter 1,
what do you think Max’s father might be in jail for? I believe he did something in the middle of the night to Max’s mom. Grim says Max is like his father and he may do something in the middle of the night like his father did. Also, in chapter 7, they call him Killer Kane, so perhaps he killed her in the night. Give PROOF—quote from the story.
7. How does Max know that Gwen is no longer nervous or scared of him?Max knows that Gwen is no longer scared of him when he picks up a knife and hands it to Gwen, and she doesn’t flinch.
Chapter 6
1. What is Max allowed to do for the first time? For the first time Max is allowed to go to the 4th of July fireworks by the millpond by himself.Why?The reason he is allowed to go is because Gram thinks Freak will get stepped on if Max doesn’t go with him.
2. Describe Tony D. Tony D. is described as having the nickname Blade, having been in Juvy three or four times. He is alleged to have cut a guy with a knife. He is seventeen. Add these traits to the character descriptions page.
3. What does Tony D. want from Max and Freak?Tony D. wants to know if Max and Freak have any fireworks, the dangerous ones like M80s or cherry bombs.
- How does Freak respond? Freak calls him a cretin – one who has a mental deficiency.What does that show about his personality?This shows that he has courage to stand up to bullies or that he is somewhat fearless.
5. Why does Freak think it is okay to “give him (Tony D) lip”?Freak thinks it is okay to give Tony D. lip because he thinks Max can beat him up. Does Max agree?Max disagrees because he wouldn’t just have to fight Tony D. but the rest of his gang as well.
6. What is Max’s solution to Freak’s problem of not being able to see the fireworks?Max’s solution is to life Freak up onto his shoulders.
7. While the fireworks are going off, what is Freak shouting? Freak is shouting out the names of chemicals that are causing the/or making up the fireworks.What is Max’s reaction?Max’s reaction is that there is nothing that Freak doesn’t know.
Name______Freak the Mighty Study Guide
Chapter 7
1. When Kevin is on Max’s shoulders, what does he see?Kevin sees Tony D. gang surrounding them when he is on Max’s shoulders. He also sees the fireworks and the cop car coming.
2. How does Freak steer Max? Freak steers Max by kicking him in the shoulder to indicate which direction he should move in.Why is Max running?Max is running to avoid being caught by Tony D. and his gang.
3. How do Freak and Max escape danger?Freak and Max escape danger by going so far out into the pond that Tony D. can’t get them.
4. Who helps Freak and Max? The cavalry (the cops) help Freak and Max out of the water using a boat and ropes.
5. What is Max’s father’s name?Max’s father’s name is Kenny Kane. His nickname is Killer Kane.
6. What name does Freak give the cops? Freak tells the cops that he and Max are Freak the Mighty because between the two of them they can slay dragons and fools and walk high above the world.
Chapter 8
1. How do the cops explain to Grim and Gram what happened after the fireworks?The cops made Max out to be a hero. They made it like he had rescued a poor crippled kid.
2. How do Gram and Grim treat Max differently after talking to the cops?Gram gives Max a bowl of ice cream and Grim makes coffee for Max and lets him drink it out of fancy cups. Grim, although still serious, refers to Max as a “young man.” Why?I think they do this because they see that perhaps they were wrong about him. Maybe he isn’t going to turn out to be just like his father.
- What does the coffee Grim offers Max symbolize?The coffee symbolizes Max becoming a man, someone to whom Grim can have conversations. What does it stand for?
4. Describe Max’s summers before he met Freak.Before he met Freak, Max’s summers consisted of watching television and looking at comic books. Occasionally he would go shopping with Gram if she made a fuss.
5. How do Max and Freak spend the summer?Freak comes over every morning and bangs on the bulkhead door of Max’s bedroom. Then he pushes Max to do something with him. Freak has a great deal of energy, and he enjoys going on quests.
6. What does Freak do when Max asks him what a word means?Freak makes Max look up the word in a dictionary Freak carries around with him.
7. What does the chapter title “Dinosaur Brain” mean?Freaks says at the end of the chapter that despite having brains the size of peanuts, dinosaurs ruled the earth. This suggests that Max’s lack of knowledge should not prevent him from doing anything.
Chapter 9
1. Where do Freak and Max go on their quest?Freak and Max go to a Medical Research building on their quest.
2. How do they get there? Max walks with his eyes closed being steered by Freak’s directions. What do they do along the way?Along the way, Freak points out castles and dangers and other made up things.
3. Why does Freak take Max there?Freak brings Max there to show him that is where he will someday become the first bionic human. He says he will be enlarged and improved.
- Why are robots so important to Freak?Robots are so important to Freak because they are made to be flawless and his disability has given him so many physical flaws.
5. What does the chapter title, “Life is Dangerous” mean?Freak says life is dangerous because he is living in pain but says you can think your way out of anything. He uses his imagination to pretend he is not experiencing pain.
Chapter 10
1. Why does Grim give Max a sorrowful look after Max says that Freak is not a poor boy?
(foreshadowing)Grim gives a sorrowful look because he feels bad for Freak because he knows that he is not well. He also knows that Max does not understand this.
2. What is going to happen at exactly 3 o’clock in the morning?Freak is going to come get Max to go on a mission to a storm drain.He believes there is treasure in the drain. Why that time?Freak chooses that time because it is “optimum darkness,” and they can’t be seen looking for the treasure.
3. Why can’t Max fall asleep at night?Max can’t fall asleep because he is excited about the mission. Noises that usually don’t bother him are keeping him up. The cricket keeps chirping. He has questions about the quest, etc.
4. How do Max and Freak disguise themselves?Freak wears a Darth Vader costume and when Max refuses to wear Gwen’s black blouse, Freak tells him to roll on the ground to get dirty.
- Where are Freak and Max going on their quest?They are going to a storm drain on their quest.
6. What do they find? They find a dirty purse. How did it get there? Freak saw one of Tony D. gang members stuff it down the drain the previous morning. Who does it belong to?The purse belongs to Loretta Lee.
Chapter 11
1. Describe the Testaments. The book says poor people live there, dope fiends live there, and it’s big and falling apart. It smells like fish and sour milk and it looks sad.(List THREE points)
2. Why are Freak and Max at the Testaments?Freak and Max are at the Testaments to return the purse they found in the storm drain.
3. Describe Loretta and Iggy.
Loretta is:
Scrawny, yellow-haired, small, hard eyes, blurry red lips. She wears a ratty old bathrobe and is smoking a cigarette.
Iggy is:
Big, hairy dude, he has a huge beer gut, giant arms covered in tattoos, and a red beard that looks like barbed wire.
4. How do you know that Loretta is scared of Iggy? Max says that the way she holds herself tight whenever he says something.
5. Describe Max and Freak’s visit with Loretta and Iggy.Freak is continuously telling Iggy and Loretta that they have to leave, but it seems Iggy wants to mess with the boys some. At one point he flicks Freak in the nose, hurting him. Max doesn’t say very much. After Loretta realizes who Max is, Iggy backs off because he doesn’t want Killer Kane to find out he’s been messing with his son.
6. Why does Iggy let Max and Freak leave?He is afraid that Killer Kane will get out of jail and come get him for messing with his son.
7. Do you think Freak knows about Max’s father? Yes, I think Freak knows about Max’s father because it seems that he and his mother have a close relationship. I believe Gwen tells Freak a great deal because he is so intelligent.Why or why not?
8. What did Loretta mean when she said Freak’s father was a magician?Loretta meant that Freak’s dad did a disappearing act and left Gwen when he found out Freak had a disability.
Chapter 12
1. Why did Kevin and Gwen convince the people at the school to allow the boys to be in the
same class?Supposedly, they convinced the school that Freak needed someone to help him get around.
2. Why is it unusual for Max to be in Kevin’s class?Max should not be in Kevin’s classes because Kevin is in advanced classes and Max has been in special education classes.
3. Why do Grim and Gram agree for Max to join Kevin’s classes?Grim and Gram agree because with all the special teachers Max has had, he has not progressed, but now that he has a special friend, they think maybe that will help.
- Why does Kevin call the class to order? After the new teacher asks Max to stand and tell the class about his summer, students begin making fun of him. They call him Maxi Pad and shout, “Killer Kane, Killer Kane had a kid without a brain.” Kevin calls the class to order by standing on his desk and yelling “Order in the Court!” He then goes on to tell the class that he is not just Kevin. He is sometimes more. He climbs onto Max’s shoulders and begins chanting, “Freak the Mighty,” and telling the class about the quests they have been on together.
- Describe the situation.
5. What effect does Kevin sitting on Max’s shoulders have on his class and teacher?Their teacher has no idea how to react when their classmates begin chanting, “Freak the Mighty” over and over again.What effect does it have on Max?Max feels stronger and smarter with Kevin on his shoulders.