42 pages • 1 hour read
Jack GantosJoey Pigza Swallowed the Key
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1998A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapters 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary: “Gifted and Talented”
Following the field trip, Mrs. Maxy advises Joey that there would be a meeting at school regarding the “next step” for him the following day; therefore, the young boy is pleased to see a substitute teacher in class that morning. There’s an announcement instructing all the students in the gifted and talented program to report to the auditorium for a presentation, and he follows them there and hides behind the stage curtain. Mrs. Jarzab introduces the speaker, Mrs. Cole, who has written a book about how “character counts.” Mrs. Cole exhorts the students, whom she says are “special” to use their talent to benefit the world, and she cites Mother Teresa as an example. Joey thinks that he is “special,” too; his mother and the nurse think so, and he is a student in special ed. Joey is excited and tries to think of ways to make the world better.
Upon returning to his classroom, Joey meets Mrs. Maxy, who has returned from her meeting. He advises her that he will make up bumper stickers saying “Hate Is Not a Family Value” to distribute to a million cars, and she tells him to use the art supplies at the back of the room. Joey prints the slogan on a sheet of poster board as the other students return. He is unable to cut the poster with safety scissors and takes Mrs. Maxy’s sharp scissors from her desk when she leaves the room for a minute.
Joey is wearing his shoe on one foot and the bunny slipper on the foot that he injured in his fall from the barn rafters. He trips on the ear of the bunny slipper and collides with Maria Dombrowski, who stands in front of him and exhorts him to “Slow down.” During the collision, Joey mistakenly cuts the end of Maria’s nose off with the scissors, and she bleeds profusely. Joey picks up the piece of skin and desperately tries to re-attach it; Mrs. Maxy and the nurse apply bandages and ice to the girl until an ambulance retrieves her. Joey is bereft and notices the other students are watching him: “staring at me like I was a maniac killer” (75). Principal Jarzab appears at the classroom door and tells Joey to collect his belongings and follow her, as Mrs. Maxy announces the start of a Math drill. Seeking to redeem himself, Joey shouts out “Math drills are one of my strengths” (76), as the principal grabs his hand and leads him toward her office.
Chapter 8 Summary: “Suspended”
Principal Jarzab calls Joey’s mother, Fran, for an emergency meeting regarding Maria Dombrowski’s injury. His mother notes that the event was an accident and that Joey is not a mean person, but Mrs. Jarzab counters that “Joey has a history of being harmful to himself, and to others” (78), noting that he has been responsible for numerous accidents. In response to Mrs. Jarzab’s request, Joey recounts his version of the incident. He explains that he was making bumper stickers to change the world and that he was running with scissors and tripped over his slipper. When he got up, the other students said that he had cut off the tip of Maria’s nose.
Mrs. Jarzab says that Joey must be kept out of school the next day, but that a special ed bus will pick him up the day afterwards. He will undergo a six-week suspension and receive counseling because he has injured another student.
Joey’s mother talks to him as they eat their Burger King dinner. She explains that she has “one [her] best” (81); Joey replies that he knows “it’s all me” (81), and that he is messed up. She protests that this is untrue, and Joey notices that she is crying. Joey’s mother explains that she “pulled it together” and returned to him because she loved him so much; now, she asks that he reciprocate by pulling it together for her. Joey cries and admits that he is afraid of going to the special ed program, but his mother assures him that he will prove how good he is and will return to his original school.
Chapter 9 Summary: “Bad Seed”
Joey must wait a day before transferring into the new program. His mother is unable to miss work, and Joey breaks an important rule by leaving the house when he is home alone to visit Maria Dombrowski and apologize to her in person. To the boy’s dismay, Maria’s father opens the door and immediately tells him to leave. Mr. Dombrowski then says, “You hurt my girl again and it will be lights out for you and your whole family” (85). When Joey protests that his mother had no involvement in his behavioral problems, Mr. Dombrowski responds that Fran had “everything” to do with it.
Upon his return home, Joey is so shaken that he tries to find some of his medication and “take a bunch of them and return myself to normal” (85); however, his mother always takes the bottle to work with her. When his mother returns from work, she tells him that she was not able to shift her appointments for the next day and will be unable to see him off for his first day in the new program. She adds that she has two presents for him. One present is the gift of advice: she tells him that whenever he has a bad thought, to quickly accompany it with a good one. The second is a book on dog care. If Joey does well in the program, his mother will allow him to get a dog.
Chapters 7-9 Analysis
The author approaches more abstract concepts in this section. For example, Joey sneaks into the auditorium with the members of the “Gifted and Talented” cohort and hears a presentation on the importance of good character and making the world better. In fact, Joey is possessed of excellent character: he is innately kind and instinctively attempts to help those who are vulnerable, like Harold in the special ed room. These chapters illustrate the ongoing difficulty that the boy experiences in his attempts to carry through on noble aspirations. For example, he longs to apologize to Maria Dombrowski for the terrible accident, but he violates his mother’s most important rule by leaving the house alone. When Mr. Dombrowski threatens that any further transgressions by Joey will result in “lights out for you and your whole family” (85), the boy heroically responds that it is himself, rather than his mother, that is the problem. Despite his many challenges, Joey instinctively takes responsibility for his own behavior; this is a sign of good character.
The difficulties involved with the calibration and effectiveness of ADHD medication is addressed here, as well. Prior to his catastrophic collision with Maria Dombrowski, Joey notes that “I could feel my meds wearing down like they do every time I eat something” (71). Research supports the idea that certain ADHD medications are difficult for the body to absorb in combination with overly acidic or alkaline foods. High fat meals can counteract absorption, as well. Joey contends not only with the sporadic effectiveness of his medication, but with a host of unknown variables that may obviate its effectiveness.
The complex notion of reciprocity in relationships is visited here, as well. Joey’s mother, Fran, acknowledges that she made a terrible error in abandoning her son to the care of his grandmother; however, as she recalls while weeping, “I pulled it together and came back to you” (82). In return, she expects Joe to “pull it together” for her by adjusting to his special ed school. Joey comes to respect and rely upon his mother. Despite her long absence, she educates herself about her son’s condition and does her best to advocate for him and teach him to control himself.
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