42 pages • 1 hour read
Because of Mr. Terupt
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Themes
Blame, Self-Blame, and Forgiveness
Each student experiences blame in some way, whether it’s in the form of blaming someone else, placing blame on themselves, or being the subject of someone else’s blame. Anna blames herself for her mother’s ostracism. At age 11, Anna doesn’t have a full understanding of the complicated social stigma of a teen parent, so she assumes she herself is to blame for her mother’s situation and the social backlash her mother experiences.
While Anna blames herself for an adult situation she has no control over, Luke and Jessica are the opposite in that they seek to place blame on authority figures rather than admit personal responsibility and experience the guilt that accompanies it. Both Luke and Jessica consider the possibility of blaming Mr. Terupt for the accident, their logic being that it is Mr. Terupt’s responsibility as the adult to keep things under control. Jessica even considers the possibility of Mrs. Williams being at fault for having given special permission for the snow day. Jessica is open to hearing her mother explain how the accident is Mr. Terupt’s fault: “He let you play rough that day in the snow and hoped you wouldn’t cross the line—but he made it your responsibility not to cross that line because he didn’t intervene” (239). Hearing someone else blame Mr. Terupt brings Jessica to jump to his defense and opens the way for her to accept that perhaps one person alone is not to blame in complicated situations.
Jeffrey blames himself for his brother Michael’s death, and this keeps him from giving himself credit for the extreme efforts he takes to save Michael in the first place, such as providing stem cells and bone marrow. He has to forgive himself before he can understand the good he’s capable of doing. Not only is Jeffrey the one to run for help immediately after the snowball accident, he also starts bringing his parents out of their grief by finally making an effort, even a small one, such as resting next to his mother and comforting her in her grief. Jeffrey is also the one who brings the class microphone to the hospital, giving his classmates a way to positively connect over their teacher. He’s a vehicle for forgiveness and recovery in this novel, taking people from blame to forgiveness in various ways.
Parental Influence on Children
Although the parents are minor characters in the novel, their influence resonates through their children’s actions and perspectives. In Anna’s case, this influence is positive. She considers her mom, Terri, to be her best friend, and Terri’s warnings help Anna stay out of Alexia’s drama: “My mom has warned me not to get involved in that popularity stuff. She was ostracized once. That means nobody wanted to be friends with her” (35). Anna follows her mother’s advice, and although she starts out as somewhat of a loner, she ends the school year with three new friends.
Alexia used to be the target of bullying, but one day, she attacked back by yelling: “like Mom and Dad yelled at each other [...] It didn’t matter that what I said was a lie” (90). She sees the way her parents treat one another and their methods of communication, and she applies those same manipulative and mean tactics in her peer relationships. She used to be nice, but after establishing her control over the other girls, she asserts there’s “no way I’m going back to being nice” (91). Alexia spends a lot of time at home alone without either parent checking on her whereabouts, and it’s Mr. Terupt’s influence that convinces her to change the way she treats her peers.
Danielle is impressionable and wants to please her family. She avoids being friends with Anna outside of school because her family doesn’t approve of Anna or her mom. Danielle’s grandmother is strict in her prejudice against Anna’s family; Danielle’s mom doesn’t approve, but she’s more open to listening when Danielle asks to visit Mr. Terupt in the company of Anna and Jessica. Danielle’s mother approves of the group visit, but she makes it clear that she still doesn’t approve of Anna on a personal level. At the end of the novel, Anna’s mother demonstrates a positive influence by properly introducing herself to Danielle’s mother and opening the way for a fresh start between the families.
There is a strong connection between the theme of parental influence and that of blame in the novel. Parents are an indirect source of guilt for students who blame themselves for things they can’t control about their families. Anna blames herself for Terri being ostracized because she’s too young to understand the complexity of her mother having been a teen parent. Jeffrey misunderstands his parents’ grief and thinks they blame him for Michael’s death. Both Anna and Jeffrey overcome these hurdles when they find the courage to talk to their parents, and both are relieved to hear that it’s not their fault.
Individuals Are Stronger Together
Mr. Terupt instills a sense of personal responsibility in his students, but he also teaches them that individuals are stronger together. Anna is grateful when Mr. Terupt steps in to stop Alexia’s bullying, but she also recognizes that Mr. Terupt wants them to stick up for each other: “I didn’t know if I could do that. But with Jessica and Danielle by my side, I knew I’d try” (94). On her own, Anna is quiet and avoids conflict. This passiveness only enables Alexia to continue her bullying. In order to stand up to Alexia, though, Anna learns she must stand up for others who can then support her in turn. Alexia visits Mr. Terupt by herself, but she leaves with three friends, demonstrating Mr. Terupt’s ongoing influence in bringing people together.
Students are stronger together when facing their fear over Mr. Terupt’s condition, not just in standing up to other people. When they visit the hospital, Jessica reflects, “I might not have made it. But I did. And so did Danielle and Anna. We were there for each other” (163). Visiting the hospital together makes it easier for each of the girls to face a frightening situation. Danielle has second thoughts once they arrive, but she follows through with the visit because her friends make her feel brave: “I guess I could have waited in the car, or in the lounge, but being with brave friends kept me moving forward” (166). Danielle’s mother warns her that Mr. Terupt is unconscious, and the visit may be scary, but Danielle finds courage rather than letting someone else’s opinions or impressions guide her actions, which is a significant shift and demonstrates how powerful the support of her friends is for her. When all of the students visit the hospital together on the day of Mr. Terupt’s brain surgery, Jessica admits, “I was scared, but I wasn’t alone” (222). Mr. Terupt is unconscious, so he’s unaware, but students, teachers, and administrators come to support him on the day of his surgery, comforting one another while coming together to support the person who teaches them to be strong for one another.
The reward chain in Mr. Terupt’s classroom is also a reminder that the students are stronger together. Each link on the chain represents a day of outstanding behavior for the whole class. One prank from Peter, or one bullying incident from Lexie, or any individual action by any student, has the potential to deprive the chain of its next link. In order to reach their goal of extending the chain from ceiling to floor, the class must learn to work together effectively and respectfully.
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