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.
Part 2, Chapter 10-Part 3, Chapter 11Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 2 - Part 3
Part 2, Chapter 10 Summary: “May”
Terri, Anna, Danielle, and, Danielle’s family are at the hospital, waiting to hear how Grandma Evelyn’s surgery went. Danielle cannot even imagine how her grandfather feels because he has known Evelyn for so many years. Members of Danielle’s family whisper about something, and Danielle interjects angrily that she knows all about the Moonsuc conflict. Her grandfather tells her to settle down; they did not tell her because he didn’t want her to get upset. The doctor, Dr. Takoda, who is Moonsuc, comes out and tells the family that Evelyn will be okay. Danielle’s mother reacts to his name, but Dr. Takoda tells her it means “friend to everyone” (301), and she agrees that it’s a good name for a doctor to have. When the doctor leaves, Danielle’s family is silent, as they did not expect him to be Moonsuc. Danielle prays that the land situation is resolved peacefully, though she remains worried.
Anna and her mom provide much of the in-home care for Evelyn as she recovers, and Danielle’s family takes over the work Evelyn usually does. Evelyn tells Terri and Anna that they have been her angels.
Reena and Lisa come into the restaurant and tell Lexie that Brandon is getting help at a center for alcohol and drug addiction. Lisa is glad for Lexie’s intervention, as they did not know how to get him help.
Mr. Terupt has the class read The Whipping Boy. Mr. Terupt explains that in the past, some princes would have a poor boy whipped when the whipping was due to the prince. The kids all have to take crayons from a bag, and these crayons denote whether they are royalty or “whipping boys.” The royals get extra recess while the “whipping boys” have to do more work. The kids who get to be the royals do not have fun, knowing the others are suffering.
Jeffrey is upset because he wants Anna to see Asher when Jeffrey’s parents bring him to Field Day, but as a “whipping girl,” Anna is not allowed to go. Jeffrey’s mom understands his feelings but explains that things are not always fair. As in The Whipping Boy, the roles are then reversed, and Jeffrey gets to be a prince. This does not bring him joy, however, as not all of his friends get to join in his fun. Peter decides to make things fair. He will not participate in Field Day unless everyone else can, too.
Luke thinks Peter’s decision is courageous. Soon, the other students stand up and join him in his boycott. Mr. Terupt explains that this was the lesson of the assignment: that they need to all stick together. Jessica explains to the class that Peter showed them they must stand up in difficult situations.
This final surprise of Field Day is that Brandon is the wrestling referee.
Part 3, Chapter 11 Summary: “June”
Jeffrey is happy to see his family at graduation, and he and his father plan to add a new room onto their home for Asher.
Evelyn’s illness brings her closer to God. She considers all the people who have helped others, and she refers to them as angels. Danielle prays, thanking God that she grew taller and thinned out.
Jessica gives a speech and talks about how they have learned that life is not fair but that they can make life better by acting with goodness and standing up to injustice. After Jessica’s speech, Anna is given an award for the impact she made on the school. Luke is not jealous of Anna’s award; rather, he is happy for her.
Peter’s parents, his au pair, and his brother, Richard, attend Peter’s graduation. Peter tells Richard that he is not going to Riverway next year, and Peter’s father agrees. His parents are letting him stay in Snow Hill because his friendships there are so special.
Lexie is very excited because she gets her period. She tells Danielle that she hopes her period will do as many good things for her as Danielle’s did for her, referring to Danielle’s thinning physique. She asks if her breasts look bigger, and Peter walks by and says no.
Danielle talks with her grandmother about several subjects. The land dispute will likely take many years. Danielle assures Evelyn they will be okay when Grandma and Grandpa pass away. Evelyn tells her that Terri is a wonderful person and should get married. Finally, Danielle asks God’s forgiveness for thinking negatively of the Moonsuc.
Mr. Terupt’s wedding is a happy occasion for everyone: Danielle and Anna work to get Terri to catch the bouquet, hoping it will mean marriage with Charlie. Peter is happy with the wedding he threw, and Mr. Terupt tells him to forgive himself for throwing the snowball the previous year. Peter thinks that these past two years were the best of his life. Jeffrey sees his family dancing and is glad about his happy ending. Luke wants to be like Mr. Terupt when he grows up. Jessica thinks the experience with Mr. Terupt has been like a fairy tale, and now there is a happy ending.
Part 2, Chapter 10-Part 3, Chapter 11 Analysis
The final section resolves all the novel’s conflicts and ends with two happy occasions: the graduation and Mr. Terupt’s wedding. While the land dispute is not over, tension around the issue is diffused because it will take years to settle the land’s rightful ownership. On the brink of armed conflict against the Moonsuc, Danielle and her family learn a valuable lesson about bias when a Moonsuc doctor saves Evelyn after her heart attack. Evelyn experiences growth when she admits she was wrong about Anna and Terri: “[T]here was a time when I was convinced the devil himself had set the two of you upon this family…but how wrong I was. I know now that God sent us some angels instead” (306). This change in heart proves that like children, adults must continue to learn throughout their lives.
The novel highlights the special bond between the students due to their trauma and concern over Mr. Terupt’s injury. It is partially because of this bond that the Whipping Boy activity is so difficult for the students: They do not want to have fun while their classmates suffer. This highlights the themes of Life’s Lack of Fairness and the Need to Stand Up to Injustice and Self-Discovery Through Literature. Peter, who has been the troublemaker, takes the opportunity to be the hero and stand up for those who are suffering unfairly, using the novel as a model for how not to act. This is Mr. Terupt’s intended lesson for this activity: because life is unfair, they have to stand up for one another. It’s important to him that they learn this because he will be with them next year in junior high. Though Mr. Terupt does not blame Peter for what happened, Peter feels guilty and believes he needed forgiveness. In this episode, Peter puts others’ needs before his own and gains the redemption he desires.
At the beginning, the novel questions the possibility of happy endings. The earlier chapters foreshadow the events that happens in June, but these happy events are not guaranteed. Moreover, all of the characters endure heartbreak and difficulties along the way. In the end, all the characters get what they wanted most but only because take risks and make hard decisions that take them out of their comfort zones. This is true for Mr. Terupt when he proposes to Ms. Newberry in front of the class and for Peter when he stands up to his mother about not going to Riverway. Lexie foils Brandon’s attempt to drive while intoxicated while Danielle confronts her family over their secrecy regarding the Moonsuc dispute. The novel’s message is that happy endings are possible if people are willing to admit their mistakes and grow from their experiences.
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