Frindle

Mrs. Granger is the fifth-grade language arts teacher, known for being unyielding in every regard. She only wears skirts to school, and as Nick describes, “Mrs. Granger was one of those people who never sweats. It had to be over ninety degrees before she even took off her jacket” (7). This description makes her feel authoritative over life itself, including involuntary biological functions. Among students, she is most notorious for knowing when students misbehave and administering immediate consequences. More broadly, she is keenly aware when Nick behaves with ulterior motives. Even after Nick wastes most of Mrs. Granger’s class time with his oral report, she finds a way to make the plan backfire socially by twisting his actions to appear like a teacher’s pet. As she examines her classroom, Nick often describes her eyes being activated to varying degrees of power, ranging from low to maximum power to, occasionally, “almost happy.” Her severe reputation earns her nicknames from the students, such as “The Lone Granger” and “Dangerous Grangerous” (16, 47).

Though students may perceive her as overly austere for these reasons, she is depicted as a rounded character who genuinely cares about her students’ education and wellbeing. Though her perceiving eyes often get students in trouble, students will say, “Her eyes could twinkle and laugh, too, and kids said she could crack really funny jokes” (7). Her intense homework load also aims to stretch students’ abilities and make them better thinkers. While she initially disproves of Nick’s frindle antics, she soon comes to respect his experiment’s ingenuity—and much earlier than Nick realizes. Though she opposes herself to Nick’s cause for most of the story, she inwardly cheers for Nick’s success; he eventually realizes that “by fighting against it, she had actually helped it along” (100). The story only attained national renown because of the tension she instigated, which caught a local reporter’s curiosity. Later in the year, when Nick grows discouraged, she revives his confidence in his own creativity, which leads him to accomplish amazing feats over the next several years. At the end of the book, when Nick finally realizes everything that Mrs. Granger has done for him, he takes a portion of the money he unwittingly earned from frindle merchandise and creates a college scholarship in her name.

Mrs. Allen is Nick’s mom, biggest supporter, and moral stabilizer. Her personality is first described when Mrs. Chatham arrives for a home visit regarding Nick’s frindle game. Nick expects his parents to satisfy Mrs. Chatham by reprimanding him in front of her, but instead, Mrs. Allen challenges the principal: “But doesn’t all this seem like a lot of fuss about something pretty silly? […] I mean, is there really any harm in the children making up a funny word and saying it? Does there have to be a rule that a word like this may not be used?” (51). The word Nick created isn’t inherently bad or disrespectful, so Mrs. Allen doesn’t see a good reason to quell her son’s creativity. She’s not afraid to advocate on her son’s behalf, even during a serious meeting with the school principal.

However, her defense of Nick doesn’t mean she lets him avoid responsibilities or consequences. She believes Nick created the word for his and his classmates’ simple amusement, but after Mrs. Chatham leaves, she warns Nick, “If I find out that you have been disrespectful to Mrs. Granger or any other teacher at school, then you really will be in big trouble” (54). Furthermore, before the TV news reporters visit their home for an interview, Mrs. Allen reminds Nick that “these reporters are just looking for a quick story that will make some excitement. But you have to stay here and live in this town” (75). She understands that Nick is still learning how to anticipate his actions’ consequences, and she guides him in the right direction by reminding him when he needs to practice self-control. Mrs. Allen is a static character—meaning she doesn’t change from beginning to end—but she does serve as a stabilizing presence as Nick navigates the complexities of growing up.

Mr. Allen, Nick’s dad, is a quiet man who doesn’t like to make “too much fuss” over things (80). He enjoys his simple job in a quiet town, so he feels entirely out of his element when his son receives local and national attention. For example, when Mrs. Chatham visits the Allen home, Mr. Allen tries to placate both sides, swinging his support back and forth. He first sides with Mrs. Chatham, agreeing that Nick’s idea is becoming a problem, but after Mrs. Allen challenges the principal and looks to her husband for support, he stutters, “I—I guess so… I mean, it’s not like vandalism or stealing or something like that…” (53). He wants to resolve the conflict quickly, but other people’s convictions complicate his efforts.

After Mrs. Chatham leaves—bringing the tension with her—Mr. Allen’s sensitivity to conflict begets good advice for Nick. He doesn’t appear to speak his mind about whether Nick should stop using the new word, but he does suggest that Nick’s innocent intentions don’t mean his fun is harmless: “If it gets everyone upset and makes the principal come talk to your mother and me, then it must not be fun for everybody, is it?” (54). Mr. Allen knows he wouldn’t want someone to put him in a difficult position like Mrs. Chatham or Mrs. Granger, even as a joke, and encourages Nick to find ways to make his ideas good for everybody.

Mrs. Chatham is the principal of Nick’s elementary school, and she is not amused by his shenanigans. Even though she initially appears the pinnacle of authority, Nick observes that other adults are unafraid to challenge her. For example, when she visits the Allen home concerning the frindle disruption at school, Mrs. Allen questions whether Nick has done anything wrong. Nick praises his mother as his champion white queen—a defense against Mrs. Chatham that he didn’t know he had. Additionally, when questioned by news reporter Judy Morgan, Mrs. Chatham recoils under the pressure to represent herself and her school well: “Mrs. Chatham looked like… well, like a kid who had been sent to the principal’s office. She squirmed a little in her chair and tried to smile” (60). While Mrs. Chatham is not necessarily weak, she isn’t as invincible as young students presume their authority figures to be.