Skip to main content

What did Peter think when his mom made Fudge lamb chops but didn't make him any in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing?Why did Peter's mom make him...

Peter thinks it is mean when their mother makes Fudge lamb chops because he isn’t eating and she thinks he’ll eat if she makes him his favorite foods.


When Fudge refuses to eat, the family goes to great lengths to accommodate him.  They even let him eat under the table like a dog.  Fudge’s grandmother tries to trick him into drinking milkshakes by telling him there is a surprise at the bottom.  He drinks the...

Peter thinks it is mean when their mother makes Fudge lamb chops because he isn’t eating and she thinks he’ll eat if she makes him his favorite foods.


When Fudge refuses to eat, the family goes to great lengths to accommodate him.  They even let him eat under the table like a dog.  Fudge’s grandmother tries to trick him into drinking milkshakes by telling him there is a surprise at the bottom.  He drinks the first one and then throws the glass in anger when there is no surprise.


Fudge’s mother even tells Peter to stand on his head to amuse his brother.  Peter learned to stand on his head in gym class, and is proud of it.  Doing it at mealtimes is another story though.



Finally my mother got the brilliant idea of me standing on my head while she fed Fudge. I wasn't very excited about standing on my head in the kitchen. The floor is awfully hard in there. But my mother begged me. She said, "It's very important for Fudge to eat. Please help us, Peter." (Ch. 3) 



It doesn’t work.  Their mother decides to take Fudge to the doctor, but the first one says he will eventually eat.  That was not what she wanted to hear.  Peter says he could have told her that for free.



I guess my mother didn't believe either one of us because she took Fudge to see three more doctors. None of them could find a thing wrong with my brother. One doctor even suggested that my mother cook Fudge his favorite foods. (Ch. 3)



Peter thinks this is mean. The rest of the family has to eat stew, and Fudge was served lamb chops!  He doesn’t eat those either, though.  He says he wants Corn Flakes.  Peter’s mother gives him the chops and gives Fudge cereal.  He doesn’t eat that either, and his father dumps it on his head.  After that, he eats.


Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...