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Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Freak the Mighty, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Friendship
The Power of Storytelling
Memory, Grief, and Trauma
Family Legacy vs. Individuality
Summary
Analysis
Kenny and Max leave the old lady’s apartment because Kenny fears that the cops will knock on every door. They cross the alley to a burned-out, boarded-up building, where Kenny decides they’ll hide. He pulls off a huge piece of plywood, startling a black cat. Kenny jumps back and he yanks Max to the ground, bumping Max’s head. Kenny assures Max that it’s just a scratch, but Max doesn’t think it hurts anyway. The taste of the salt also makes him feel more awake. Max goes inside the building and he looks around: there’s broken glass everywhere. Kenny finds the stairs to the basement and he sends Max down the stairs first by the light of a cigarette lighter. The steps bend under Max’s weight and he slips, but Kenny hauls on the rope and he keeps Max from falling.
Kenny’s behavior shows that even as he says they’re doing a good thing, Kenny knows that it’s wrong to kidnap Max, even if Max is his own son, and he knows that it’s inhumane to tie Max up to keep him from escaping. These clues help Max hold onto the fact that Kenny isn’t the most powerful person in his life; he’s not correct and he’s not good. There are many other people in Max’s life who treat him like a human being, Freak being the most important one.
Themes
In the basement, Kenny ties Max’s feet again and then he ties Max to a boiler. He explains that Max isn’t trustworthy yet, but that Max will get smarter once they start moving. Then, Kenny rips off a piece of Max’s shirt and he gags him with it. Kenny runs his fingers through Max’s hair gently and then he says he’s going to see about the car. As Kenny glides away, Max stays as still as possible in case Kenny is actually trying to trick Max and see if Max will try to get away. Max can’t; his hands are tied too tightly. Finally, he sits and stares at the narrow window that lets in a thin strip of light. He can hear Kenny moving around upstairs.
The fear that this is a test and that Kenny will return seems odd at first glance, but it likely provides insight into the kind of father Kenny was. Max likely thinks this way because Kenny did this sort of thing to him as a child. This continues to explain Max’s hopelessness and his yielding behavior. The last time Max saw Kenny he was only four, so Max’s only conception of Kenny is as someone who’s much bigger, stronger, smarter, and more powerful than Max.
Themes
Max hears scratching at the window and then quiet feet on the steps. It’s Loretta Lee, and she nervously asks if Max is there. Max kicks around in response. A flashlight hits Max in the eyes and Loretta hurries to him and rips off the gag. She says it isn’t right for Kenny to tie Max up and that Kenny isn’t who she remembers. Loretta tries to work on the knots as Max thinks he hears boards creaking. She whispers that Iggy is going to distract Kenny while she frees Max, and there are enough cops that once they get out, they’ll be safe. Loretta cuts the ropes on a sharp edge of the boiler. As she leans down for the flashlight, two big hands grab her around the neck. Loretta can’t respond to Kenny’s insults. He squeezes her and no one can stop him.
Loretta’s choice to rescue Max indicates that while she may remember Kenny as a nicer person, she’s able to free herself from those memories and look at the facts in front of her. She can clearly see that Kenny is cruel, especially since Kenny is willing to tie up his own son. This helps Max humanize Loretta even more, which becomes especially important once Kenny begins to choke Loretta. Because Loretta is a sympathetic character to Max, Max may be more likely to try to stand up to his father and save her.
Themes
