Skip to main content

In Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, do you believe Max’s dad when he says, “I know what they told you. It’s all a big lie, you...

Right before Max is kidnapped by his father, Killer Kane says the following to his son on Christmas Eve:


“I know what they told you. It’s all a big lie, you understand? I never killed anybody, and that’s the truth, so help me God” (101).


There is certainly an element of hope behind hearing these words. Many convicts say that they are innocent, but the evidence says otherwise. For children like Max, who must endure...

Right before Max is kidnapped by his father, Killer Kane says the following to his son on Christmas Eve:



“I know what they told you. It’s all a big lie, you understand? I never killed anybody, and that’s the truth, so help me God” (101).



There is certainly an element of hope behind hearing these words. Many convicts say that they are innocent, but the evidence says otherwise. For children like Max, who must endure life without parents because of incarceration, it would be very tempting to want to believe that his father is not guilty. There are so many red flags, though, that point to the fact that Killer Kane isn't telling the truth. First, there's the name, "Killer Kane." People don't get nicknames like that for no reason. Second, he's been in jail for at least ten years which means that he was convicted of the crime they say he committed. Just because he claims it isn't true does not take away the fact that a jury must have found him guilty, which is valid evidence that he did kill someone. Finally, he's in the act of committing a crime by kidnapping his own son out of bed in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve. Good guys and heroes don't need to use the back door to get what they want; bad guys do that. 

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more