1. Chapters 11-25 Study Guide Question Answer Key
Freak the Mighty
Chapters Study Guide Question Answer Key

2. The Damsel in Distress
Chapters 11

3. #1 When is it okay to break a promise, according to Kevin(Freak)?
When on a quest---(A long and difficult journey in pursuit of something/ especially one made by knights in Medieval Times)

4. #2 Describe the “Testaments.”
The tenements— “smells like fish and sour milk, broken toys everywhere--- (See page 64)

5. #3 Freak and Max are trying to help Loretta, a “damsel in distress
#3 Freak and Max are trying to help Loretta, a “damsel in distress.” What is ironic about Loretta’s appearance and demeanor when they meet her?
She is cussing
She is scrawny ( very thin)
Yellow-haired
Small “hard” eyes
Blurry red lips
“raggedy bathrobe
She is smoking
Ironic
A description of something that happens that a reader does not expect.
Loretta does not appear to be a damsel= a young unmarried woman of noble birth
Loretta does not appear to be in distress= in need of assistance

6. #4 Iggy Lee Lives in the testaments A “biker’ Friend of “Killer Kane”
Loretta’s on again, off again, husband

7. #5 How long has Loretta known Max and Kevin?
Loretta has known Max and Kevin since they were born; they all lived in the “testaments” together.

8. #6 What has Loretta heard about Killer Kane in prison?
He has “seen the light.”

9. #7 What more do we learn about Max’s dad at the end of the chapter?
He is in jail for “Life”
“Life” isn’t life.– He can get out
Iggy, is a tough guy—BUT Iggy is afraid of Killer Kane

10. #8 What do we learn about Kevin’s father?
Kevin’s dad left his family after Kevin was born.
Remember, Kevin was born with a birth defect.
Kevin calls his father a magician---because he disappeared after Kevin was born.

11. “Killer Kane, Killer Kane, Had a Kid Who Got No Brain”
Chapter 12 –
“Killer Kane, Killer Kane, Had a Kid Who Got No Brain”

12. 9. What does Freak say about his father?
Freak says, “Good riddance to bad rubbish.”

13. 10. How does Freak make fun of Loretta and Iggy, still alluding to King Arthur?
alluding = reference to King Arthur legend, as Freak makes fun of Loretta and Iggy to Max
-- “ Loretta,” my Queen,”Will you marry me?” “ Iggy, fall on my sword.”

14. 11. How does Max feel about starting 8th grade
Dreading it. ( page 73)
Like being jabbed with needles every time I hear that word (school).

15. 12. What is worse than going to the dentist to Max?
( p. 74)
Going to the Mall with Gram. She “calls” attention to him and he is embarrassed.

16. 13. How does Max get to be in class with Freak?
Gwen and Gram request that they be in the same classes so that Max can help Kevin get around.

17. 14. How do the other kids at school initially react to Max?
They tease Max
Make fun of his size because he is so big
Call him “Mad Max”
Chant “Killer Kane—had a kid who got no brain”

18. 15. How does Freak change the kids’ minds?
“Freak the Mighty” --Sometimes I’m Kevin; sometimes I’m more…”
Together they are much more than they are as individuals.

19. 16. How does Freak get himself and Max out of trouble with the principal?
He uses such a big vocabulary that he impresses Mrs. Addison. She had to use a dictionary to look up the words he used.

20. Chapter 13 –
“American Chop Suey”

21. 17. What does Freak begin to teach Max that even his tutor could not do?
Freak is teaching Max how to read.

22. Writing– “ Talking on paper”
18. What is the difference between reading and writing, according to Freak? Which one does Max have the most trouble learning?
Reading— “Words are voices on paper and reading is listening to the voices.”
Writing– “ Talking on paper”
Max finds writing very difficult. His hand feels huge and clumsy as it holds a pencil.

23. 19. What allusion does Kevin make when Max has to go to the principal’s office?
( p. 83)—it’s like an army mission
“Just give ‘em name, rank, and serial number. Deny everything. You aren’t back by ten hundred hours, we’ll organize a search and rescue mission.”

24. 20. Why does Max believe he’s been called to the principal’s office
20. Why does Max believe he’s been called to the principal’s office? Why has he really been called?
He thinks he is being placed back in the LD (learning disabled) class.
Max’s dad has asked to see him.

25. 21. How does Max react to what the principal has to say?
He goes “crazy” and he “blacks out.”

26. 22. Why does the nurse cry? Why does Max think she is crying?
She feels sad for Max.
He thinks that he may have hurt her.

27. 23. What worse things happen on this Friday the 13th?
Friday the 13th =superstition about it being
a very unlucky day
Freak chokes during lunch at school and is rushed to the hospital.

28. “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die”
Chapter 14 –
“Cross My Heart and Hope to Die”

29. Freak will get a whole new body.
24. According to Freak, what will happen in a year or two? Does Max believe him?
Freak will get a whole new body.
Yes, after Freak explains that he is growing on the inside, but not on the outside.

30. 25. What do Gram and Grim argue about?
Grim wants to get a gun to protect them all if “Killer Kane” comes there. Gram is afraid that a gun in the house will do more harm than good.

31. 26. What does Max learn about his father?
Max’s father, “Killer Kane” is out on parole; he was released from prison early because of his good behavior there.

32. “What Came Down the Chimney”
Chapter 15 –
“What Came Down the Chimney”

33. 27. Describe the Christmas Eve celebration
Everyone is happy; Freak and Gwen, Grim, Gram, and Max are together.
They exchange gifts.
Grim tells tales; everyone laughs

34. 28. What gifts do Max and Freak give each other?
Max gives Freak an army knife with all sorts of tools and even a magnifying glass attached.
Freak gives Max a “magic box” with Freak’s dictionary inside

35. 29. Describe the encounter between Max and his father at the end of this chapter? What is ironic about what he says to Max?
The encounter is terrifying; “Killer Kane” is suddenly there, right in Max’s room with his hand placed over Max’s mouth in case he screams…
“I came back for you like a promised…” He sounds like a good father, BUT….”

36. 30. How does the Author make this scene frightening?
Max felt a gust of COLD air but is always warm in the down under
It seemed as if it was all a bad dream…
He feels the wind, but it is really someone breathing…
A giant hand presses down on his mouth
Foreshadowing: A hint of what is to come in the future

37. “A Chip Off the Old Block”
Chapter 16 –
“A Chip Off the Old Block”

38. 1. What does the title of this chapter mean
1. What does the title of this chapter mean? Why would this be especially upsetting to Max knowing what we know about his feelings about his father?
“Chip off the old block” refers that the person resembles/acts like their parent
Since Max doesn’t like his father, nor does he want anything to do with him, it is upsetting for Max to be compared to his father because he is worried that he IS like him.

39. 2. Why is Max quiet and not trying to scream for help when his dad comes? Is Max a hero?
“Making noise is the last thing I want to do, because I don’t know whether or not Grim ever bought that gun he mentioned, or what might happen to him if he tries to use it.” (100)
Yes, because he wants to protect Grim & Gram over himself.

40. 3. What does Max remember Freak saying about stars
3. What does Max remember Freak saying about stars? Why is this a good symbol for how Max is feeling?
“Freak says the sky is like a photograph from a billion years ago, it’s just some old movie they’re showing up there and lots of those stars have switched off by now.” (101)
“Someday the rerun will come to an end and you’ll see all the stars start to flick off, like a billion little flames blown out by the wind.” ( )
Max realizes that all things does come to an end.

41. 4. What does Max’s dad tell him about his crime?
“’I know what they told you,’ [Kenny] says. ‘It’s all a big lie, you understand? I never killed anybody, and that’s the truth, so help me God.’” (101)

42. 5. Why doesn’t his dad need a suit of armor, or any of the rest of a knight’s equipment?
“He’s everything all rolled into one, and no one can ever beat him, not even the brave Lancelot.” (103)

43. 6. Max repeats several words over and over in this chapter which creates a certain mood. What words does Max say, and what mood do they create?
“‘Yes sir.’” “‘No Sir.’”
Serious
Obedient

44. 7. Where does Killer Kane take Max?
“My feet already know where we’re going. The New Testaments.”

45. Chapter 17 –
“By All That’s Holy”

46. 8. Why doesn’t Max run away while his father takes a nap?
… “if I move, the rope will surely wake him.” (110)

47. 9. What does Max’s Dad swear on the Bible? Does Max believe him? Do you?
“I, Kenneth David Kane, do swear by all that’s Holy that I did not murder this boy’s mother. And if that isn’t the truth, may God strike me dead.” (113)

48. “Never Trust a Cripple”
Chapter 18 –
“Never Trust a Cripple”

49. 10. How is Kenny Kane planning to make a living now that he’s out of prison? Has he really found God?
“First thing, we’ll get a bus, one of those RV things, a real big one, because it’s important to look impressive. Put a name up on the side: The Reverend Kenneth David Kane. Or it might be we’ll go with another name, just to be on the safe side. Did you guess I was a man of God, boy, could you tell that by looking at me?” – Kenny Kane (117)
“You’ll be standing out in front of the bus in a real nice suit. What you do is collect money in a basket. You won’t have to steal it because folks will give to a man of God, and what they love to hear about is a bad man who has redeemed himself.” – Kenny Kane ( )

50. 11. How do we know that Iggy is afraid of Kenny Kane?
“Iggy laughs real nervous.” (120)
“Iggy is talking fast, like he can’t wait to get rid of the words and leave.” (120)

51. 12. Who brought the police to Iggy’s door?
“It was that crippled midget kid … They had him out in the car. It must have been him, Loretta saw him peeking up over the seat.” – Iggy (120)

52. 13. What does Kenny Kane ask Iggy to get for him?
“First thing, get me a firearm. Something small but functional. Next thing is transportation. I don’t care what, as long as it runs.” – Kenny Kane (121)

53. “Into the Black Down Under”
Chapter 19 –
“Into the Black Down Under”

54. 14. Who comes to untie Max? Why?
Loretta Lee
“It ain’t right. Keeping your own kid tied up, it ain’t right. He ain’t the man I thought I remembered, that’s for sure.” – Loretta Lee (126)

55. 15. Is Loretta a hero?
Yes

56. 16. What does Kenny Kane do when he finds Loretta helping?
“Two big hands are squeezing her neck. I see how my father is coming huge out of the dar and he’s got his hands around her through, shoving her back.” (127)

57. “Freak the Mighty Strikes Again”
Chapter 20 –
“Freak the Mighty Strikes Again”

58. 17. What is the climax of the novel
17. What is the climax of the novel? Has this been foreshadowed so that it is believable? Give two examples of foreshadowing.
“I saw you kill my mother!” – Max (129)

59. 18. How old was Max when his mom was killed? Did he try to help her?
“You weren’t but four years old.” – Kenny Kane (129)
“You were wearing your brown corduroy trousers … And the black T-shirt with no sleeves. I tried to stop you and I couldn’t, and you carried me back into my room and put me to bed and told me I was just dreaming. You locked me in that room and I ran to the window and broke it with my hand started yelling for someone to come and help Mommy.” – Max (130)

60. 19. What does Killer Kane do when he realizes Max remembers everything?
“That’s when his hands start to tighten hard and fast around my neck. I’m trying to fight him but I’m so small and weak and he’s so big and strong, you can’t stop him, no one can stop Killer Kane.” (130)

61. 20. What is Freak’s weapon? What does he say is in it?
“This squirt gun … And a chemistry set.” – Freak ( )
“Sulfuric acid … Good old reliable H2SO4, an oily, colorless, corrosive liquid used in dyes, paints, explosives, and many chemical experiments.” – Freak (132)

62. “The Accident of Nature”
Chapter 21 –
“The Accident of Nature”

63. 21. What goes to show “that you can’t always judge a book by the cover”?
Loretta and Iggy after the kidnapping

64. 22. What is wrong with Freak?
“She means the trouble he has sometimes catching his breadth, because of the way his insides keep growing faster than his outside, which hasn’t really grown at all.” (137)

65. 23. How does Freak reassure Max that he’ll be okay?
“Dr. Spivak says my unique status as a marvel of genetic aberration makes me an object of intense curiosity … Specialists from the world over are familiar with my case.” (137)

66. 24. What does Grim say Max got from his father? His mother?
“All you got from him is your looks and your size. You’ve got your mother’s heart, and that’s what counts.” – Grim (139)

67. 25. Why does growing up worry Max? Does it worry you?
“The weird thing I keep thinking about, what if something happens when I get older and I turn out to be another accident of nature?” (139)

68. “Remember Is Just an Invention of the Mind”
Chapter 22 –
“Remember Is Just an Invention of the Mind”

69. 1. What is Freak reading about now, and how does Max and the reader know?
“If you guessed that Freak has been reading a book about the Ice Age, you’re right. He’s been seeing a saber-toothed tiger behind every bush, except that so far, all of them have turned out to be stray cats, or once it was this skunk and it’s a good thing I can run fast or we’d have to soak in tomato juice, which is the only way to get rid of the stink.” (142)

70. 2. What is the double birthday celebration?
Kevin’s birthday; Freak the Mighty’s birthday

71. 3. What does Freak get for his birthday?
“What he’s really getting, and I’ve been sworn to secrecy, is this new computer, the one he’s been drooling over in his computer magazines. It comes with a modem, which means if he has to stay home for some reason, he can go to school over the telephone. ( )

72. 4. How do we know that Freak is getting sicker?
“It comes with a modem, which means if he has to stay home for some reason, he can go to school over the telephone.” (144)
“Freak hardly touches his supper, he say’s he’s saving his appetite for the cake …when at last they do bring out the cake, Freak asks me to flame out the candles while he makes the wish, and then he doesn’t even touch his piece” ( )
“Freak is leaning back in his chair making this wheezing sound, panting real fast, and his eyelids are flickering.” (146)

73. Chapter 23 –
“The Empty Book”

74. 5. What is Max playing with? What does he hope will happen with the toy?
“I have that old ornithopter bird with me and I’m winding it up and flying it around.” ( )
…”maybe Freak will get a chance to look out the window and see it flittering by, that’s my plan” (148)

75. 6. What is Freak’s attitude about his tracheotomy?
“Then he plays with his finger against the button, making his throat whistle a tune, which he says is the theme from Star Trek, although you can hardly recognize it.” (149)

76. 7. What does Freak give Max, and what does he order him to do?
The book reminds me of the dictionary [Freak] gave me for Christmas, except when I open it, all the pages are blank.
“That’s for you,” [Freak] says. “I want you to fill it up with our adventures.”
Page 150

77. Chapter 24 –
“The Return of Kicker”

78. 8. Max sneaks into the hospital to see Freak. What does he discover?
“That’s when I notice that some of the nurses are crying and looking at me strange and all of a sudden I just go nuts.” ( )

79. 9. How does Max react?
“I’m running down the hall and it’s like I’m Kicker again, ready to just blast anybody who dares touch me, and I have to keep running.” (155)

80. 10. How does Dr. Spivak explain Freak’s story about getting a bionic body?
“You know better than that, Maxwell. You couldn’t like to Kevin. I tried a little fib on him when he was about seven years old, because I didn’t think a child could handle the whole truth, and you know what he did? He looked his disease up in a medical dictionary.” –Dr. Spivak ( )

81. 11. How does Max know she’s telling the truth?
“That’s when I know she’s telling the truth. Freak and his dictionary.” (157)

82. 12. What killed Freak?
… “what finally happened is his heart just got too big for his body.” –Dr. Spivak (157)

83. Chapter 25 –
“What Loretta Said”

84. 13. How long is it until Max begins to write about Freak the Mighty?
“That was a year ago.” (158) +”Not too long after that – this was winter by then” (159) = a year and a half after Kevin dies.

85. 14. How does Max feel about life after Freak dies?
“for a long time I felt like a balloon and somebody had let the air out of me. I didn’t care if I ever got the air back, because what does it really matter if we’re all going to die in the end?” (158)

86. 15. Where does Gwen go?
“Did you hear about Gwen? She’s in California and she’s got a new boyfriend. His name is Rick and they’re crazy about each other, ain’t that good news?” (160)

87. 16. What does Loretta say to Max? What does she mean?
Loretta “gives me this long look and she goes, ‘Nothing is a drag, kid. Think about it.’” (160)
Max said to Loretta he was doing “nothing.” Her response means that doing “nothing” is a bad thing. Max needs to move on.

88. 17. How does the writer let us know that Max will survive and be okay
17. How does the writer let us know that Max will survive and be okay? List two (2) ways.
“So I wrote the unvanquished truth stuff down and then kept on going…” (160)
“By the time we got here, which I guess should be the end, I’m feeling okay about remembering things.” (160)
“And now that I’ve written a book who knows, I might even read a few.” (160)
“No big deal.” (16.)

89. “Freak’s Dictionary”

90. How does Freak define BIG LIE? What does he mean?
“ignorance is bliss” (161)

91. Book
“a four-letter word for truth serum” (161)

92. Dictionary
“a source of knowledge, fun, and rude jokes” (162)

93. Gram / Grim “a sweet lady of light” (163)
“a gentleman of the old school, before they tore it down” (163)

94. Knight
“rhymes with bright and fight and right” (165)

95. Massives
“fat heads who assume that television tells the truth” (165)

96. Quest
“an adventure in which you have to use your imagination” (167)

97. Round Table
“where King Arthur passes out the snack food” (167)

98. Writing
“talking on paper” (168)

99. Zoo
“an eighth-grade English class” (169)