Killing Mr. Griffin Study Guide 1

CHAPTER ONE
1. Briefly identify the children in the McConnell family.
Mom, dad, Susan, Craig, Melvynne and Francis


2. What does Susan mean by “someday”?

That she hopes that what she is saying will come true.

3. Who is David Ruggles? How does Susan feel about him?
He is the president of the senior class; Susan likes him and thinks he is cute.


4. Several other students of Room 117 are introduced. Briefly identify them.

Jeff is shy
Betsy the popular cheerleader girl

5. In the classroom scene, what emphasizes Susan’s feelings of being an outsider?

That no one really talked to her the first two minutes of class they only talk to her if they need help for homework

6. Two teachers are introduced. Briefly identify them.

Mr. Griffin very hard to impress, strict
Dolly Lewis she is lose happy easy and a little slow

7. Mr. Griffin is very strict and stern with the students. Do you think these qualities make
him a good teacher? Briefly explain your answer.
No I don’t, I think you need to be semi understanding some kids just might give and drop out if you’re not.


8. An allusion is when a writer refers to a person, place, poem, book, or movie that the
reader, is expected to recognize. Find an example of allusion in this chapter.

When Susan compares herself to the dying female in Hamlet

9. In what ways does Susan think she and the dying female in Hamlet are similar?


Could barely make it out the news of the cars like bind came out half blinded
10. A metaphor is a comparison of two things that are basically unlike, in order to create a
sharp picture. In this first chapter find the metaphor involving a bird that helps the author
define how Susan is feeling about her life.
Dropped like a feather sounded stove to the showed below


11. Jeff says, “That Griffin’s the sort of guy you’d like to kill.” Why doesn’t Susan think he is serious?
Because you wouldn’t think you would actually do just because Mr. Griffin is difficult


12. Frequently, objects which seem inconsequential when first mentioned become an
important part of the plot later. In the last six paragraphs do you notice any object that might be foreshadowed?
Jeff said that Mr. Griffin is the type of guy you would like to kill

CHAPTER TWO
1. Why does Mark say the following? “Jeff’s done a neat job of lining us up for a mass flunkout.”

That he has flunked so much it that he played it

2. Explain Mark’s special dislike of Mr. Griffin.

He is being the type of teacher that’s not giving his students a chance

3. “Jeff had seen that look before, and it always meant something.” What look does Jeff see? What does Jeff think it means?
Jeff saw that mark was going with his plan to kidnap him, His face looked like he had incredible plan


4. Why do Jeff and Betsy go along with Mark’s plan to kidnap Mr. Griffin?

He tells his friend that they can’t get in trouble because seniors had done it last year as a prank they could use that as there excuse that it was l just a prank.

5. Why does Mark believe Dave will go along with the plan?
Because if Dave is a good kid and looks innocent so nobody will think he would have something to do with it.

6. What does Mark know about Susan that makes him think she will be their decoy?
Because if Dave is in it Susan will do it, she has a mager crush on Dave and will do anything to be with him


7. A flashback is a scene that interrupts the ongoing action to show an event that happens earlier. Briefly describe the flashback in this chapter. Explain why the author chooses to
include it.
When mark kills a cat behind the school, I think he puts this flashback in the book to show that Mark is a little twisted and disturbing



8. What is implied, but never stated, about Mark’s “transformation”?
That it has come from the thoughts of killing animals to people.
CHAPTER THREE
1. The members of David’s family are introduced. Briefly identify them.
Grandma was the type to use someone to get what she want so she won’t have to get up, his mother that works all the time trying to make ends meet


2. Why does David think he needs a good education?
Because he has to prove to his family that he can do it. His family puts a lot of pressure on him because he will have to take care of them


3. Find the metaphor in this chapter that helps illustrate the emptiness of David’s life.
That he might help kidnap Mr. Griffin because he wants to get in to a get college and because he wants to a get college and support his family


4. Support or refute the following statement:
David goes along with Mark because he dislikes Mr. Griffin and needs better English
grade to get into law school.
I support this


CHAPTER FOUR
1. Why are Saturday’s special for Susan?
Saturdays are special because she doesn’t have to get up early and doesn’t have to worry about school and gets to be herself


2. Find a quotation in the chapter that illustrates the idea that Susan feels a part of the picnic
group.
“It’s such a neat day out”


3. Who is Lana?
Its marks ex girlfriend


4. How does Susan feel about Mark before the picnic?
She feels a little nervous but glad that she is going out with him though


!!!!5. A symbol is an object, person, or place that has a meaning in itself and that also stands
for something larger than itself. How may the eyeglasses be a symbol in this chapter?



6. Foreshadowing is also used to create interest and build suspense. Since this is a mystery
story, there are many examples of foreshadowing. Find an example of foreshadowing in
this chapter that lets the reader know Susan is going to have problems.
Never Susan thought, never in all the time to come will I ever be as happy as I am right now, and she was right

CHAPTER FIVE
1. How does the author illustrate Kathy Griffin’s stubborn personality?
That she doesn’t care that she is pregnant she will do her morning routine. She won’t let her husband do it.



2. Briefly explain Mr. Griffin’s reason for leaving Stanford to teach high school.
Because he thought that the kids came there not knowing how to write.



3. What does Mr. Griffin think about Susan?
He thinks she is a great writer but she is a little sloppy with her punctuation and that she his best student and doesn’t want to tell her this because he doesn’t want her to get lazy.


4. Why is Kathy Griffin upset by her husband’s description of Dolly?
Because she thought maybe he thought this about her


5. How does her husband make her feel better?
He tells her no you’re not you’re my wife your Kathy


6. Why does Mrs. Griffin want Brian to compliment Susan on her writing?
Because she thinks that it won’t make the as though she isn’t good enough and that she is a good she is talented and bright


7. Find an example of foreshadowing in this chapter.
When Kathy is talking to him about being lass strict and to be real it seems he might change.


8. Why do you suppose the pills are mentioned again? Why does the author bother
mentioning his tie?
Because she wants to start up conversation and doesn’t want him to leave she has a bad feeling.
9. We learn that Mrs. Griffin is pregnant. How does she hope having a child will change her husband? Why might the author have added the pregnancy into the story.
She hopes it will change him by making him more sensitive with teenagers and be more real with them. The author probably added that in there to show that he might have a chance in change

CHAPTER SIX

1. What little things go wrong with the kidnapping?

With David’s alibi?
His grandma is asleep

With Betsy’s alibi?
She got pulled over by the cops

2. In what way does Mr. Griffin earn the respect of his kidnappers?
Because he was stubborn

3. Why is Susan especially upset about her part in the kidnapping?
Because she doesn’t want Mr. Griffin to get hurt and she heard him scream run before he get kidnapped


4. Why does Betsy say the following to Susan? “Honestly, I don’t understand you.”
Because she doesn’t want to Mr. Griffin in pain and being in this situation , and didn’t want to be apart of it anymore
CHAPTER SEVEN
1. What do Mr. Griffin and Mark have in common?
They don’t change their mind on anything

2. Find a flashback in this chapter. What important facts about Mark do we learn?
Landon steals a paper and gives it to mark and Mr. Griffin was going to eposes them for cheating

3. What mistake(s) does Betsy make with the police officer?
She told the officer it was her boyfriend’s car and gets a ticket and tells the officer her dad’s name

4. Why do you think Betsy participates in the kidnapping?
Because she wants to be with him and wants him to think she is cute

5. Why do you suppose the incident with Shauna Berman is included?
To show that Betsy was the one everyone liked, that no one wanted to be on her bad side.

6. Who finds the container of pills? Where?
Betsy on the way up to the mountain.

7. How does Mr. Griffin’s tie appear here?
Perfectly knotted


8. What does Mr. Griffin think of his kidnappers?
That they are childish and sick


9. What question does David ask him?
How does it feel to be on the ground and beg

10. Who wants to let Mr. Griffin go? Why don’t they?
David and Jeff, because Betsy and mark don’t want to they want to make him bed

CHAPTER EIGHT

1. Explain, with examples from the story, how David begins to see Susan as a real person.
He sees her as a real person when he sees her crying and goes to pick her up, seeing that she cares

2. Why does David doubt that Mark and Jeff are going to release Mr. Griffin after the game?
Because they will be tired and hungry and end up putting it off till tomorrow

3. How does David know Mr. Griffin is dead?
Because he is not answering his eyes are open and he is not moving

4. What is the implied but never stated cause of Mr. Griffin’s death?
He suffocated or didn’t get his pills

CHAPTER NINE

1. Betsy and Susan both have fathers to turn to for help. Why do you suppose Susan Wants?
To go to her father for help, but Betsy doesn’t suggest going to her father?

cause she trusts her father

2. What two things does Mark say that they need to do to be safe?
get rid of the body and the car

3. How does Mark convince Susan they need to bury the body?
that he will take care of everything that she will not have to do it

4. How does Mark’s father die?

in a fire
5. What does David’s father have to do with his decision to go along with Mark’s plan to bury the body?
they want to play it off as though Mr.Griffin left like David's dad

6. Why does Mark comfort Susan?
So she won't feel bad and so she won't tell her dad.