Mr. Terupt Falls Again

“‘The boys should be hot after you,’ Reena said. ‘You’re a pretty little brat.’”

Reena says these words to Lexie, as Reena and Lisa give Lexie a mini makeover. Later in the novel, Lexie tries to get attention from boys by looking older. These words demonstrate that she is also willing to be spoken down to in order to be accepted by the older girls.

“That wouldn’t be the only time I saw Ms. Newberry with tears in her eyes this year.”

Jessica says these words, implying that something bad might happen to Mr. Terupt or another character. Instead, the words refer to Ms. Newberry’s tears when Mr. Terupt proposes to her. The line is intended to create suspense and show Jessica’s directorial ability to create narrative tension.

“It means you get away without needing to worry so much when you don’t know or understand all the details about something.”

Danielle’s grandmother says these words to Danielle when Danielle asks her about the man who is walking on their farm. It becomes apparent that Danielle internalizes the desire to keep harsh truths from people; she does not tell the adults in her life that she knows about the land war because she does not want them to worry about her.

“It’s the drama around the book that’s stuck with me, like the day Mr. T turned in his solution.”

This passage is significant because it shows one way that Buyea advances the characterization of Peter. Each of the students writes differently than the others, and Peter, being less concerned with formality than the rest of the class, refers to his teacher as Mr. T. It is a small detail, but it helps illustrate Peter’s attitude toward school and the world.

“The result was a violent reaction. The data was conclusive. This exchange was a bad idea.”

This short passage is important for two reasons. The first is that it helps characterize Luke as an intelligent student who likes science. Words and phrases like “violent reaction” and “conclusive” show that he values formality and precision. Second, it provides some foreboding for what is to come. Buyea frequently creates suspense through passages such as this.

“It’s fine to get two different groups of people together…but if the two sides aren’t ready to get along, then you’re askin’ for trouble. You can’t force that sort of thing.”

Grandma says these words to Danielle in response to Danielle telling her about the fight between the Snow Hill kids and the visiting students. Her grandmother is also likely referring to her farm, as Danielle will later learn that the Moonsuc tribe is trying to regain rights to land that the US government unfairly took from them hundreds of years ago.

“God, I suppose ignorance can be bliss, but not if you aren’t ignorant, and I’m not.”

Danielle writes these words to God concerning the situation on her farm. The adults do not realize that she is old enough to know something is going on, so she worries regardless. Eventually, this lack of information prompts her to go find the answers on the internet. This serves the narrative purpose of providing unbiased information about the dispute for readers.

“Mr. Terupt didn’t want me to be afraid to tell on her. It was the right thing to do. It was what Lexie needed me to do, and what any good friend would do.”

Usually, Anna would not tell on one of her friends, but in this case, Anna knows that Lexie is spending time at the abandoned house, and that she is in danger. In the novel, Mr. Terupt reinforces that children won’t be punished when they admit that they or their friends have done something wrong; this helps students like Anna build trust in adults and make the right decisions.

“That’s when I started believing in angels.”

Jeffrey thinks this after the change he has seen in his family after they meet Asher. He believes Asher has been an angel to their family. Meanwhile, Danielle sees Jeffrey as an angel for saving Asher. This shows that Jeffrey acts goodheartedly without expecting a reward.

“Sometimes answers come at unexpected times, in unexpected ways and unexpected places.”

Mr. Terupt says this to his class after he tells them about the death of his parents. He explains that the students were family to him when he was in the hospital because he has no family of his own. This is a key moment because, though his role is usually to help the students, he explains that the students helped him overcome his fear of loving again. This leads him to propose to Ms. Newberry and begin a family of his own.

“I might have been done at the hangout, but that doesn’t mean I was done trying to get boys to look at me.”

By this point, Lexie has learned that it was not a good idea to hang out with the teenagers at the abandoned house. She has also found companionship with her mother. This has not, however, stopped her from trying to get boys’ attention by stuffing her bra. This shows that Lexie is still compensating for her insecurities about her body.

“Having them laugh at me hurt. I can’t believe I used to be mean like that to people. I’m lucky to have friends now.”

In Book 1, Lexie was a mean girl, but she has since learned to be kind. Now, she experiences the kind of taunting she used to do to others. This is not a narrative form of revenge, but rather an exercise in empathy for Lexie. Just as her friends help her after the boys tease her, she helps Lisa when Brandon tries to drive intoxicated. She has learned the value of friendship.

“Everyone should have a guardian angel like you.”

Mr. Terupt says this to Peter when Peter stops Derek from throwing a snowball. Mr. Terupt knows that Peter still feels guilty for throwing a snowball that put Mr. Terupt in a coma the year before. These words are just one way that Mr. Terupt tries to get Peter to forgive himself.

“But I also heard the defeat in his voice when he said it.”

Anna thinks this as she hears Peter telling Derek and Jason that Lexie is not his girlfriend. This is hard for Anna to hear, as she has a crush on Peter. It demonstrates her empathy, however; she understands that he is not so much angry as he is hurt.

“You know…there was a time I was convinced the devil himself had set the two of you upon this family…but how wrong I was. I know now that our God sent us some angels instead.”

Evelyn says these words to Anna and Terri after they help nurse her back to health. Danielle’s grandparents were the last two in the family to welcome Anna and Terri, and these words show that Evelyn was willing to admit her mistake and accept them.

“He wasn’t waiting on the book. He decided to make a move, and once he did, it was easy for the rest of us to follow.”

Jeffrey explains his feelings about the Whipping Boy assignment. None of the students like what is happening, but Peter is the one to stand up for what is right. This illustrates the idea that it is easier to do the right thing when others are also doing it. This is one reason why standing up to injustice is so important.

“You need to keep working hard and stick together. Your hard work and friendships will help you through good and bad.”

Mr. Terupt explains, after The Whipping Boy assignment, that he wants his students to stick together even after the school year ends. Through the experiences they face in this book, such as when Lexie needs help getting away from the high schoolers and Danielle’s grandma needs help, they learn that when they work together, they all benefit. This will continue to be explored in future novels in the series.

“He was one of our angels. And so was Luke, for helping my grandmother. And Mr. Terupt. And Anna, for also helping Grandma - in many ways. And Jeffrey, for saving Asher. Angels were all around us and among us. Jessica was the next one I spotted.”

Danielle starts out talking about how Peter is a hero for standing up for the “peasants” during The Whipping Boy assignment. Angels are recurring motifs in the novel that illustrate people who help others. Here, near the end of the novel, Danielle, who is the most spiritual of the characters, considers many of the different helpers and heroes who appeared in the book.

“In fact, in many ways it was easier to be an angry peasant than it was to be guilty royalty. Staying quiet and allowing unjust situations to occur is as bad as creating them.”

Jessica says these words in her sixth-grade graduation speech. In the novel, characters have to decide how to approach difficult situations. One of these was when Anna knew Lexie was going to the abandoned house. The message of the novel is that friends have to stand up for each other and help each other when they are in need.

“Congratulations […] You’re officially a woman, though I think you’ve been one for a long while already.”

Danielle says these words to Lexie after Lexie gets her period. They demonstrate that Lexie sees herself differently than other people do. For her, maturity is determined in large part by what physically happens to her body. For Danielle, maturity and womanhood are more nuanced and complicated than just the body.

“Nah…They still look like a couple of mosquito bites.”

Peter says this to Lexie as he overhears her asking Danielle if her breasts look bigger. The words are important because they show that despite Peter and Lexie’s kiss, they still have a playful relationship with each other. They also show how Peter remains irreverent through the end of the novel.

“The world would be a beautiful place if it were full of Annas […]. You’ve helped us all by being nothing but good.”

Mr. Terupt says these words to Anna. They are poignant because she and her mother were rejected by Danielle’s family because Anna was born out of wedlock. Anna has a solid relationship with her mother, however, and she does her best to help other people. Here, Mr. Terupt recognizes that and rewards her for it with kind words.

“It’s time to forgive yourself.”

Mr. Terupt’s students forgave Peter in the last novel for hurting their teacher. Mr. Terupt also forgave Peter. It takes until the end of Book 2, however, for Peter to finally forgive himself. This is an important step because no one else’s forgiveness will really impact Peter’s life until he stops punishing himself.