THE MISFITS by JAMES HOWECHAPTER SUMMARIES AND DISCUSSION TOPICS

Chapters / Summary / Themes
Ch. 1-4 (pages 1-38) / We are introduced to “the misfits” who are known as the Gang of Five. Bobby Goodspeed is called names because he is overweight. Skeezie Tookis is labeled a “hooligan.” Addie is picked on because she is very tall, intelligent, and outspoken. Joe is judged because “he acts more like a girl than a boy most of the time.”
Addie decides to not stand during the Pledge of Allegiance because she feels that our country does not respect the rights of people of color. Ms. Wyman considers Addie’s actions to be disrespectful and sends her out of homeroom to see Mr. Kiley, the principal. /
  • What is a label?
  • For what reasons do people get labeled by others?
  • What are some of the labels given to characters in the book?
  • How do the characters respond when they are called these names?

Ch. 5-8 (pages 39-75) / An emergency meeting of The Gang of Five’s Forum is called so Addie can discuss her visit to Mr. Kiley’s office and her idea to form a third party in the student government. Addie wants DuShawn Carter, one of the school’s only African-American students, to run for president. The next day Addie seeks Ms. Wyman’s permission to form the third party (Ms. Wyman is the advisor to the student government.); she will not allow the Freedom Party to run. Despite this, Addie asks DuShawn Carter to be the Freedom Party’s candidate for president, and he agrees to do it. /
  • What caused Bobby to now begin to see “Killer Man” as more human?
  • In what ways does Addie label DuShawn and his friends?
  • On page 57, Bobby says that he doesn’t see people being cheated out of their rights but that they are “dealt a hand,” and some people’s hands are better than others. What does Bobby mean by this statement, and do you agree or disagree with him?

Chapters / Summary / Themes
Ch. 9-11 (pages 76-104) / Bobby agrees to run for treasurer and to ask Colin Briggs, a popular boy, to run for secretary. Colin politely refuses, explaining that he is already running for vice president on another ticket. Another Forum, this time including DuShawn, is held to discuss another candidate for secretary. Addie chooses Heather O’Malley because she is Chinese and was adopted by a white family. The plan is to make campaign posters on Sunday night, and Bobby asks Kelsey, the girl he likes, to help out because she is a talented artist. /
  • Addie learns that a third party can run in the student elections if the party can prove it serves a purpose not addressed by the other existing parties. She asks her friends to look around the classroom and tell her what they see, and then what they don’t see.
-What message do you think Addie is trying to communicate to her friends? What purpose does she think their political party will serve?
-What are DuShawn’s and Bobby’s reactions to Addie’s comment? What do they suggest about the purpose of the third political party?
  • Addie wants to put students from racial minority groups on the ticket so “we can hear from them what they need.” Do you think this is a good idea? Why or why not? What about the things that Addie and her friends need? What are they, and are these necessarily the same things that students like DuShawn and Heather need? Explain.

Chapters / Summary / Themes
Ch. 12-13 (pages 105-135) / The Freedom Party comes up with an idea for a slogan and campaign posters. Later on Joe reveals to Skeezie and Bobby that he is gay and has a crush on Colin Briggs. On Monday morning Addie and Bobby put up the posters in school, but they are sent to Mr. Kiley’s office because they did not get Ms. Wyman’s permission to form the Freedom Party, so the party is forced to disband. /
  • What are some of Joe’s traits and items in his bedroom stereotype him as being gay? How does Joe know he is gay?
  • What are Skeezie’s and Bobby’s reactions when Joe reveals that he is gay? What do you think about how his friends react to this news?
  • Bobby explains on page 124 really getting to know people “takes your whole being to do it – your eyes and your ears your brain and your heart. Maybe your heart most of all.” Explain what Bobby means about how we really get to know people.

Ch. 14-17 (pages 136-168) / Bobby comes up with the idea to start the No-Name Party, which will run on the platform to stop name-calling in school. Bobby, Joe, Addie, and Skeezie make a list of all the names they have ever been called and then start making posters with the names circled in red with red slashes through them. They secretly put up the posters in school, which gets everyonetalking. /
  • On page 137 Bobby says, “The point is that being a minority isn’t only about the color of your skin or your religion. It’s about not fitting in, being on the outside.”
-What does it mean to be a minority?
-What is the effect of putting up the signs around the school?
  • Explain the No-Name Party’s slogan: “Sticks and stones will break our bones but names will break our spirit.”

Ch. 18-19 (pages 169-190) / Ms. Wyman figured out that Addie was responsible for the mysterious posters going up around the school, and they are removed. Addie, Bobby, and Ms. Wyman meet with Mr. Kiley, and Bobby convinces the adults to let the No-Name Party run on the platform to stop hurtful name-calling in the school. /
  • In what way was Addie a “rebel without a cause” when she started the Freedom Party?
  • In what way is the No-Name Party’s platform more specific?

Chapters / Summary / Themes
Ch. 20-22 (pages 191-222) / The next day the No-Name Party puts up new campaign posters with the slogan “sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit.” Addie and Bobby meet to write the campaign speech, but they butt heads. Later on, Bobby gets the courage to call Kelsey at home. /
  • Mr. Kellerman, when he opens up to Bobby, admits that he has never truly understood himself. What does he mean? How can understand yourself help you to understand others?
  • In what ways is Bobby growing more courageous? Why?

Ch. 23-27 (pages 223-259) / Bobby and Addie meet again to write the speech. Bobby drafts a powerful, personal response that Addie pronounces “brilliant,” and then she insists Bobby has to read it at the assembly. Bobby is frightened, but he agrees to give the speech. The speech has the crowd cheering; afterwards, Kelsey is moved to ask Bobby to the dance. The No-Name Party loses the election. /
  • Mr. Kellerman states on page 232 that “names belong more to the people using them than the people on the receiving end.” What does he mean?
  • Mr. Kellerman also says that we just accept the names people are called without even thinking about what they mean or even if they are true. Based on his comment, what is one way to eliminate name-calling?
  • “Names are a very small way of looking at a person,” states Bobby in his speech on page 250. What does he mean?
  • According to Bobby in his speech, why do names hurt people?
  • Bobby ends his speech on page 252 by stating he admires his friends because they are “strong enough to be who they are, no matter what names they get called.” Based on his comment, what is another way to eliminate name-calling?

Ch. 28-30 (pages 260-274) / Mr. Kiley is amazed by Bobby’s speech and agrees to help put a stop to name-calling in the school and asks for the Gang of Five’s help. He also decides the school will have a No-Name Day. DuShawn asks Addie to the dance. Joe finds out that Colin has a crush on him, and they go to the dance together, too. In the end, Bobby and his friends win the freedom to be who they are without people calling them names. /
  • Why do you think James Howe ended the book with the No-Name losing the election? In what ways have they really won?