Crash

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1996

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-7

Chapters 8-18

Chapters 19-31

Chapters 32-49

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Index of Terms

The Penn Relay

An annual tradition, the Penn Relays, begun in 1895, are the largest track-and-field meet in the world. More than 15,000 young people compete from throughout North America, and crowds as large as 50,000 attend the finals. The Penn Relays made relay races famous. The Relays are a pivotal event in Penn Webb’s life—his great-grandfather ran in the races, he’s named in their honor, and he wants to earn a spot in the race so his great-granddad can see a family member compete there. Crash gifts Penn the chance to do so by letting the boy win the tryout. Penn Webb gets the fourth, or anchor, position on Springfield Middle School’s team, and in one lap he pulls them from last place to second, the best result the school has ever had. Crash’s self-sacrifice breaks the years-long divide between them, and they become best friends. Thus, the Penn Relays become the stage on which Crash reshapes his personality.

Stroke

Stroke is a term in medicine that describes what happens when an artery in the brain gets clogged or ruptures and a portion of the brain is starved of oxygen. Scooter’s stroke is a rupture, and following his stroke, he is no longer able to walk or talk. Slowly, his brain begins to rebuild those skills, but for months the only word Scooter can say is “A-bye,” and the only way he can walk is with the aid of a walker, a four-legged structure that he leans on while walking. In the story, the stroke takes away much of Scooter’s availability as a parental figure in Abby and Crash’s lives; they meet the challenge by entertaining Scooter with stories, in much the same way he used to entertain them. The stroke is the disaster that forces Crash to change his ways.

Wildlife Habitat

A wildlife habitat is a natural home for animals wherein all of their survival necessities are met. Abby wants to care for and protect animals, and she learns how to build a wildlife habitat in her backyard. The habitat is, among other things, Abby’s protest against her parents’ bullheaded materialism. The project meets with strong resistance from her father, who likes neat, well-manicured landscaping and dislikes the messy wood piles, long grass, and disorganized appearance of the habitat Abby would build. With quiet support from Crash, Abby persists, sabotaging her dad’s efforts to mow the habitat until he finally gives in. Her efforts to protect the mouse that once lived inside Crash’s football laundry bag finally payoff when the tiny rodent moves into the dollhouse that anchors the habitat.