Plot
What is Zach‘s last name?
Wahhsted
What are Frosty and Stormy‘s real names? Who is the older one?
Alan and Joey. Alan is the older one.
What is the name of the author of the book?
Terry Trueman
rude
polite, mannerly
mean
evil, bad, nasty
How many hostages do the robbers keep when they set the rest free?
one (Zach)
Who are Dirtbag and Rat and why is Zach afraid of them?
From whose perspective is the story told?
Zach Wahhsted
skinny
fat, big
smart
intelligent, clever
Why does Zach volunteer to stay in the coffee shop?
He wants a maple bar and puts down the phone at the wrong moment
What do the robbers expect the police to do if they let the hostages go?
The robbers want the police to sign an agreement that they will be tried as juveniles not adults.
What is the name of Zach‘s illness? Name three symptoms.
Schizophrenia; hearing voices, difficulty telling the difference between reality and imagination, problems of prioritizing, “inappropriate“ behavior in human interaction, problems of understanding irony and subtle humor
smart
stupid, dumb, idiotic
to pick
to choose, to elect
Why is Zach suddenly holding the gun? What happened immediately before this?
Alan drops the gun when he is shot and Zach just picks it up out of curiosity.
How does Zach behave during the robbery? What do the other hostages think about him?
He acts differently than others, because of his illness. His brain makes him set other priorities, i.e. he doesn‘t realize he is in danger. Others think he is “retarded“.
How do most of the chapters start?
Medical records, clinical notes, transcripts of medical therapy sessions, letters
frequently
barely, hardly, just, scarcely
shaky
nervous, instable
In which situation does Zach say:“I‘m sorry“ and what does it mean for him?
When he acts in a strange way, he then realizes that his behavior is “inappropriate“.
What role does “Dr. Curtis“ play in the book (for Zach, his mom and the brothers). Why do the brothers trust him?
For Zach‘s mom he is the expert for Zach‘s illness; for Zach he is a friend; for the robbers he is a mediator between the police and them.
Why do you think the author includes the excerpts of the letters between Dr. Curtis and Zach‘s mom?
give background information on Zach’s illness and the events before the robbery, show the effect the illness has on relatives, show importance of including family members in therapy,
by accident
on purpose
appropriate
suitable, adequate