Superfudge

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1980

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-8

Chapters 9-12

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Themes

Growing Pains and Coping with Change

The central conflict of the novel and Peter’s life is change. Change drives the plot forward, causes the growth that occurs in the characters, and illuminates the personalities behind each of them. Peter goes through the most changes of anyone in his family during this time. He is on the verge of adolescence and experiencing new emotions, freedom, and interests. He gets his first crush on a girl, has major fights with friends, lashes out at his parents, and finds his siblings intolerable. Peter is overwhelmed by the changes he is going through, both internally and externally, and struggles to cope.

When Peter learns that his parents are having a new baby, he becomes extremely angry and slams his door “so hard [his] map of the world fell off the wall and landed on the bed” (7). He cannot stand the thought of another Fudge in his life, making things harder and demanding more attention from his parents. When Tootsie is born, Peter does love her, but hates the way her presence changes the family dynamic. When his mom becomes exhausted from taking care of Tootsie and Fudge, Peter blames her, saying “that’s what you get for having another baby!” (27). Peter does not cope well with change and takes a very long time to adjust to new people and places. Just as Peter is finally adjusting to Tootsie, his parents announce that they are moving the family out of Manhattan to Princeton for a year. Peter reacts the exact same way, slamming his door and withdrawing from his parents. With each change, Peter grows increasingly suspicious and accusatory of his parents. When his mom decides to go back to work, Peter gets mad at her. He gets angry at his dad as well for failing at his book project.

Fudge experiences several changes as he grows. When Tootsie is born, Fudge is no longer the youngest child and feels starved for attention. He acts out even more than before and is aware of his need for attention. He explains it to his grandma when they are discussing pets, saying “You should get a bird, a bird would give you lots of attention. A bird wouldn’t care if you were the middle child or not” (92). Fudge also experiences the changes that accompany the move, but because he is so young at the time, he remembers little of Manhattan. He develops his first real friendship with a boy named Daniel, starts kindergarten, takes it by storm, and soaks up every chance to experience freedom and responsibility. In this way, he is almost the opposite of his brother Peter.

Peter’s mom and dad have a difficult time coping with change too, even though most of the changes are their choice. Mom breaks down from exhaustion after Tootsie is born and struggles with work-life balance when Dad takes time off to work on his book. Dad quits his high-paying job at an advertising agency to follow his dream but realizes he cannot write a book and withdraws from the family emotionally. The entire family is relieved when it is finally time to return to Manhattan and resume their old life.

The Significance of Names and Words

Words have a special significance in Superfudge. There are two major ways in which words carry weight: First, names are important to the characters in the novel and often have unique origins and meanings. Second, definitions and what words mean within specific contexts are questioned. Fudge, who is extremely curious and intelligent beyond his years, usually does the questioning.

Fudge’s name is the most important in the novel. It is not only the title of the book and the series, but Fudge defines himself by his name and identifies strongly with it. His real name is Farley Drexel, but he was nicknamed Fudge early on. Fudge loves the way his name is so unique and unlike anyone else’s because it is exactly the way he himself is. When Fudge starts kindergarten, his new teacher refuses to call him by his chosen name. Fudge rebels with all his might, insisting that his name is Fudge, not Farley. The teacher bullies Fudge, referring to him as Farley. When the principal decides to transfer him to a different classroom with a less traditional teacher, Fudge calls the old teacher “rat face” (91). Both Tootsie and Fudge are named after chocolate, which Peter finds very strange. Peter’s pet dog is named Turtle, after his previous pet turtle that Fudge swallowed and accidentally killed. The dog’s name carries the memory and lessons of the past. The importance of names arises again when the painting by Jimmy’s dad, Anita’s Anger, appears in a gallery in Princeton and brings up old emotions for Jimmy. The painting is named after the anger that his mother felt when she stormed out and abandoned the family.

Fudge is constantly asking what words mean and then attempting to use them. Sometimes he succeeds, and other times he uses new words in comically incorrect ways. Fudge’s curiosity about words often drives the plot, especially when he learns the word “catastrophe” and attempts to create his own version of one by pranking his principal in front of the entire school: “Mr. Green, was this a catastrophe?” (184). Fudge mistakes Tootsie’s first word “yuck” at the end of the novel, interpreting it as her way of saying she wants to move back to Manhattan. Words and names propel the plot while carrying deep conscious meanings for the characters.

Familial Love and Navigating Family Dynamics

Peter’s family is complicated, drama-filled, and constantly changing. Despite these hardships, they stick together and love each other. Fudge makes sure things in the Hatcher household are never ordinary, but when Tootsie comes along, emotions run high and the family struggles to connect. Mom focuses all her attention on Tootsie, Fudge and Peter are starved for attention, and Dad is having a crisis and feels the need for a major change. His decision to move the family to Princeton to write his book sparks conflict, as Mom has to return to work and continue caring for the kids.

Peter recognizes his father’s neglect, and Fudge pushes the boundaries more and more each day. As things shift, Peter regularly lashes out at his family and Fudge acts out by pranking people, hiding his sister, and causing trouble at school. Peter’s parents are both so busy and absent that neither of them can be reached when Fudge argues with his teacher. Peter’s family still has a lot to figure out even after they move back to Manhattan, but things are beginning to improve. In the final scene, the family is building a “family picture puzzle” and has one corner of it finished (174). The puzzle represents the fact that, while they have learned a lot and figured some things out, they still have a long way to go.

Each member of Peter’s family teaches him a different lesson. Fudge and his pet bird Uncle Feather teach Peter the value of patience and understanding. Peter loves his brother, but has a hard time handling his energy, precociousness, and demanding nature. Fudge forces Peter to be patient, and the two boys even start to develop a close bond as they grow older. Peter’s sister teaches him how to cope with unexpected and unwanted changes; though he reacts with anger to her impending birth, he comes to love her dearly. Peter’s mother is patient and nurturing when she has the energy to be, and Peter learns these qualities from her. Peter’s dad is emotionally absent, which forces Peter to become independent and figure things out on his own.