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Addison Mahaney
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Old School
By: Jeff Kinney
Main Characters
Greg's mom
Greg Heffley
Main Characters
Greg's grandpa
Rowley
Greg's dad
Rowley's dad (Mr. Jefferson)
Setting
The setting of the book often changes but the two most important locations are Greg's house and Hardscrabble Farms.
Setting
Beginning, Middle, and End of the story
Beginning
Beginning
In the beginning of the book, Greg's mother is going around town with a petition asking for people to put down their electronics for a weekend and get to know one another like the old days. Greg's dad is stressed out because his dad (Greg's grandpa) has moved in and doesn't agree with how Greg's parents are raising him and his brothers. Greg's dad is riding him about being more independent and responsible.
Middle
Middle
In the middle of the book, Greg drops the toothpaste cap down the bathroom sink drain. He tries to fish it out but it gets stuck farther down the drain. He does not want his dad to find out, so he unscrews the tube but forgets to turn the water off. Water was everywhere in the bathroom and leaked below into the kitchen. Greg's grandpa offers to take him to the store to buy paint to cover up the water stain in the ceiling but they run out of gas and end up getting the car stuck in a ditch. Greg knows this will only make his dad more upset.
End
End
Towards the end of the story, Gregg decides to go on his school's field trip to Hardscrabble Farms. This will get him out of the house before his dad comes back from his work trip to find out about the water leak and wrecked car. Hardscrabble Farms is a place that teaches team-building, leadership, and has chores from sunrise to sunset, just like the good old days Greg's mom and dad have been talking about it. That's why Greg did not originally want to go. Despite setbacks at first, Greg works hard and learns that the old days were not so bad after all.
Problem and Solution
Problem
Problem
The problem in the story is that Greg is not being responsible. He let's his mother and others, as well as modern day conveniences such as technology, do too much for him. This will not take him far in life. Greg's dad said that if Greg did not learn how to do things by himself, he's not going to survive in the "real world".
Solution
Solution
In the book the solution is that Greg goes on a field trip to Hardscrabble Farms, where the rules state that no electronics are allowed. They can only bring the essentials for camping. Luckily, Greg had thrown a book in the top of his bag (to cover up his Freshies) that his grandpa had just given him called "The Essential Book For Young Lads". So instead of looking up "how to build" a fire on an electronic device, Greg looked through the book and found a chapter on building a fire with eye glasses and leaves. He also found a way out of being trapped in a room with the floor covered in baby powder (for tracking footprints). The book taught Greg how to be more independent and use his resources.
Main Idea and/or Theme of Story
The theme of the story is whether life was better in the old days. Greg's parents tell him stories from when they were growing up and played outside all day, worked hard around their house and had no technology. That's why they are successful in life. In today's world, there are too many conveniences including technology and as a result Greg has a hard time doing things on his own. When he's sent to camp without these conveniences, he learns what it was like in the old days and that he can survive and do well.
Main Idea and/or Theme of Story
Ratings, Recommendations, and Opinion of Book
I would give the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Old School an 8 out of 10. I thought it was a funny book and an easy book to read. I also like that it is a little cartoonish. I would recommend this book to people who like to laugh and like reading fiction.