51 pages • 1 hour read
Rob BuyeaMr. Terupt Falls Again
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Lexie’s Clothes
Lexie’s clothes symbolize her desire to boost her insecurities by looking more mature. Lexie begins changing her appearance when she first meets Reena, Lisa, and Brandon. The older girls applaud her new, “sexy” outfits. Lisa says “Now, that’s hot” (84) when Lexie comes in wearing black yoga pants, a camouflage top, and a matching camo scrunchie, and Reena echoes this, calling the look “fresh.” Lexie craves this validation from Reena and Lisa because they are older, and she thinks they will also help her be seen as older too.
Another symbolic clothing item is the purple sweater Lexie wears when Mrs. Stern’s class visits. The sweater is notable mostly because Lexie stuffs her bra when she wears it. She does this to get attention from the boys, but they mock her when the tissue comes out of her bra. In the end, Lexie learns to value herself for who she is and stops trying to change her appearance: Peter likes her for her personality, and her mother becomes a more present figure in her life. These positive relationships help her feel the security she previously lacked and tried to compensate for with clothing.
Angels
Angels are a motif in the novel, as they represent someone who brings something unexpected and good to a person or family. One example is when Jeffrey’s parents decide to foster Asher. For the first time in a long time, his family has dinner together, and they are happy. Jeffrey says that this is when he started believing in angels. Anna’s mom also believes in angels, and she considers Leila Mae to be her angel as the woman gave her a home when she was pregnant with Anna and then eventually left the home and money to them after she died. Both of these angels represent help in the form of an unexpected person, and these angels help keep families together and repair broken relationships. When Danielle thinks of everyone who has helped her throughout the novel, she notes that “Angels were all around […] and among us” (329).
Boats
The boats the students make for the Float Your Boat Contest symbolize teamwork and cooperation. In teams, students must build boats that are one meter long by one meter wide. The key is that the boats must float, and students can only use the materials provided. This is important because it means that students have to work together with limited resources. If they can’t troubleshoot the situation and communicate, they will not be able to build a working boat. Luke’s team wins because of their cooperation and careful planning. This activity references the common saying “we are all in the same boat,” meaning that everyone must succeed or fail together. Mr. Terupt’s contests are frequently about cooperation rather than competition; this is true of his contest for The Westing Game and the class activity with The Whipping Boy, in which students are separated into groups of royals and peasants.
In each case, the lesson students learn goes beyond the activity itself. In the Float Your Boat Context, Luke’s team wins but the most important interactions are how the students respond to Derek and Jason making fun of Lexie. This is highlighted when Derek takes the bottles that Luke planned to use to balance his boat and sticks them under his shirt to mimic breasts. Lexie’s classmates support her in the end, which is more important than who wins the competition.
Related Titles
By Rob Buyea
