Mr. Terupt Falls Again

The first section establishes the main characters’ personalities, voices, and major dilemmas. From the first scene, Peter’s role as a troublemaker is established. His interactions both endear him to his classmates and cause consternation for both him and them, such as when he makes Jeffrey dribble pee on himself. In Book 1, Peter caused Mr. Terupt’s coma when Peter threw a snowball at his head. This happened in part because children were good-naturedly picking on him and partly because of his own impulsiveness. This impulsiveness is not a trait that he has overcome yet, as he still gets into trouble for things such as kicking in the bathroom stall. In Book 1, students got some revenge by targeting him in the snow, and now, Jeffrey promises revenge. Despite the fact that Peter picks on people, his classmates still like him, and he is an integral part of the classroom community. His comments at the end of the book illustrate that he has not changed this dynamic with his classmates, but they all still remain friends.

Thematically, the first section focuses almost exclusively on The Importance of Parental Support for Children. This is established early, as numerous students spend time helping Mr. Terupt during the summer because they have no one to talk to at home. Three of these characters are Peter, Jeffrey, and Lexie. Peter’s parents and Lexie’s mom work a lot, and Jeffrey’s mom is grieving and cannot be fully present for her son. The students have all found a good role model and a safe place to be in Mr. Terupt’s classroom, but this does not completely fill the gaps in their home lives. The students will continue to rely, throughout the novel, on Mr. Terupt, and Mr. Terupt does what he can to help bring the students and their parents together.

Jessica’s sections of the novel are written in the form of a screenplay. These sections use numerous abbreviations and technical terms, which are never defined in the novel. She frequently uses voice overs, abbreviated as VO, to narrate what happens. In film, a voiceover occurs when someone not on screen narrates what happens on screen. She often uses a fade in. This refers to camera work and occurs when the screen starts out black, and then the scene comes into focus. Two camera shots she uses are long shots, which display a wide area, and close ups, which focus on one small detail or area of the setting. These directions help the reader understand what is happening in the novel just as they would help tell actors and moviemakers what to do while filming.

Anna is portrayed as being innocent throughout the novel. This begins when Peter is hurt, and instead of referring to his genitals, she calls them his “bad spot.” She does not understand when other students are talking about periods, and she does not believe that Lexie would possibly fart in public. Anna’s naivete is never shown as a weakness in the novel, and ultimately, she is rewarded for it.

Lexie starts making impulsive choices early on in the novel, and many of these choices are due, in part, to peer pressure. She does not want to smoke a cigarette, but she agrees when the teenagers offer it to her. She wants to be like these girls, so she changes how she dresses and how she wears makeup in order to look older and fit in. She even allows them to verbally disrespect her and call her a “brat,” and she never stands up for herself. At this point in the novel, Lexie does not have good female role models in her life. Her mother is away often, she has no other siblings, and she wants to be more mature than her friends. Because she struggles to find a support network, she makes bad decisions about who those people should be. This all helps advance the theme that family relationships are crucial to children’s development.

One of Peter’s biggest external conflicts in the novel is between what he wants and what his parents want for him. Peter does not have a close relationship with his parents, but he does not try to tell them what he wants. Neither does he tell Mr. Terupt, Mrs. Williams, or any of his friends about his plan to fail out of school. This leaves him isolated and without the input of others, who might influence his decision.

Buyea frequently uses foreshadowing throughout the novel. The title of the novel, Mr. Terupt Falls Again, suggests that something bad could happen to Mr. Terupt. The students already know about Mr. Terupt’s injury the year before, and there is some foreshadowing of a negative outcome for Mr. Terupt as the novel goes on. The first such piece of foreshadowing happens in September, as Jessica says that she will see Ms. Newberry cry again later in the year. The reader is left to wonder if this will be because Mr. Terupt has an injury or gets sick. A possible relationship between Ms. Newberry and Mr. Terupt is also foreshadowed when Mr. Terupt says that Ms. Newbery is special and that Ms. Newbery spends a lot of time helping Mr. Terupt in his classroom. Only some of the foreshadowed events will come to fruition, but the possibility of the foreshadowed events occurring creates suspense as the plot unfolds.

The novel’s other major themes, such as Self-Discovery Through Literature and Life’s Lack of Fairness and the Need to Stand Up to Injustice, come into focus in Parts 2 and 3.