“The Day of the Last Rock Fight”

By: Joseph Whitehill

Page 2

• Letter: From Ronnie -> his dad=1st person point of view

• Ronnie is @ Fallbrook Academy (what is Fallbrook?)-must be away b/c he is writing his father

• Fallbrook=school for boys with emotional problems-Ronnie wants to come home, doesn’t like it there

Page 3

• Faculty so sweet-boys can get away with murder Why is it a poor choice of words? Was someone murdered?

• Ronnie is the only one that knows the whole story.

• Gene Hanlon was killed at Manning Day school

• Story-solved already-so this is a flashback

Page 3 continued

• RONNIE SAW THE MURDER – and he couldn’t tell anyone!!! – Internal Conflict

• Characterization of each boy involved (use character chart on your study guide)

• Characterization & Relationship b/w the three boys (1st thing his father needed to know)

Gene Hanlon•Senior

•Kicked out of old school•Big & Beefy•Blonde•Bully

•Played football•Cheated in the classroom

•Stole kid’s stuff•Part of all the cliques

•Everyone feared him-that’s why he had friends

•Told stories (lies)

Ronnie Quiller

•Slightly built•Wore glasses

•Was pushed down the stairs by Gene

•Enjoyed school and books•BFF with Peter Irish

Peter Irish

•Strongest boy in school•Never used his strength to bully

people•Stayed out of fights (unless for fun)•Dated Angela Pine-everyone knew

they were a couple•Parents wanted them to date other

people

Pages 5-6 Noon Time Rock Fights

• Strict set of rules:– Two teams (Union vs. Confederates)– Each team had a fort-(like capture the flag)– Couldn’t use rocks larger than a hazel nut

• Before you peg a guy, you have to go chk chk with your mouth

• Object: to storm the other team’s fort

Page 6-The day of the last rock fight

• The real story begins-all background information given

• Peter was acting funny• Peter was in the bathroom Gene walked in-– Said he went out with Angela last night– Acted like he did something with her

• Gene tried to make Peter mad-External Conflict

Page 7

• Peter is super mad• Ronnie tries to convince Peter that Gene was

lying (just one of his stories)• Peter shares that Angela wouldn’t talk to

Peter this morning-so he believes that something happened (jealousy)

• Ronnie realizes Peter has been dealing with the internal conflict of being jealous

Page 8

• Rock fight begins• Feint (what is that?)-fake attack• Ronnie’s job: advanced observation post –He

observed what happens! Baker Post• Gives details about setting-must be important• Insert picture here

Page 9-10

• Peter leaves• Ronnie’s Reaction:– He feels sick – Runs to Able Post– He sits there shaking-Internal Conflict starts

• Marvin Herold finds Gene’s body• Ronnie acts surprised• They all assume Gene ran off the cliff

Page 10

• Ronnie lies about where he was-Internal Conflict-doesn’t want to have to tell people his best friend murdered Gene Hanlon

• Rescue crew arrives

Page 11

• Police & photographer show up• Ronnie can’t believe Peter can stand there

and act normal• Peter and Ronnie lock eyes-Does Peter know

that Ronnie saw everything? Ronnie doesn’t even know

Page 12

• Sergeant Gorman starts asking questions• Ronnie is questioned-he was supposed to be

there – he lies and says he was @ Able Post• Internal Conflict: Gets worse-Constantly

wondering what Peter knew, but didn’t want to ask or talk about it (Can you imagine?)

• Gorman will talk to each student alone

Page 13-14

• Ronnie is questioned• Smitty: “fell or was pushed”• Ronnie remembers seeing Gorman pick up

Gene’s cap full of rocks (what would differ about these rocks?)

• Ronnie said he knows Peter would never tell on him-this adds to his internal conflict

• Being with Peter, Nightmares

Page 15

• Ronnie really explains his internal conflict: “I could never tell you about this until my telling could no longer get Peter Irish into trouble.”

• Letter was written to tell his father everything-Wants to come home

• Gorman realized it was Peter: Rocks in hat & Peter was the only one strong enough

• Peter killed himself-didn’t want to go to jail

Page 15

• Ronnie feels better-”when Peter Irish climbed those stairs he did it knowing that I, Ronnie Quiller, had not squealed on him. That may have made it easier. I don’t know.”