39 pages • 1 hour read
The frindle hype calms in Westfield, though students continue using the word as commonly as any other English word. Throughout the country, however, a phenomenon occurs like the early-frindle Westfield days, with kids embracing the new word and adults attempting to stifle it. Frindle merchandise sales surge, and Westfield’s town welcome sign includes a new addition: “Home of the Original Frindle” (85).
Mrs. Granger stops holding students for detention, but she includes the word “pen” on her spelling tests each week, which every student writes incorrectly. The students eventually move on from the word’s novelty and Nick’s national spotlight.
Nick, however, never forgets what happened with his word: “He still had a lot of great ideas, but now they scared him a little” (88). For example, Nick imagines an idea in which the students could boycott the substandard lunch food by saving their families’ money and bringing their own lunches until the school’s food quality improves. However, he doesn’t want to get in trouble, feature in the town newspaper, or otherwise draw more attention to himself.
Everyone notices this change, including Mrs. Granger; he is quieter, and he doesn’t joke around with his friends much. On the last day of fifth grade, Nick visits Mrs. Granger’s room to ask about the letter—the one Mrs. Granger wrote and promised to give to Nick when the frindle war is “over.” Mrs. Granger isn’t ready to give Nick the letter, but she encourages Nick’s creativity: “You have great things to do in this life. […] And I expect to hear remarkable things about you, young man” (91-92). Mrs. Granger’s confidence returns Nick to his normal self over the summer, and by sixth grade, Nick implements innovative new ideas. He even revolutionizes the school’s lunch condition, which—like the frindle—captures widespread attention.
Ten years later, Nick turns 21 and gains access to the secret trust fund set up by Mr. Allen and Bud Lawrence. Nick gives much of his money to his family and buys a few nice things for himself, but he remains dedicated to finishing college.
One day, a package from Mrs. Granger arrives, containing the latest edition of Webster’s dictionary and two notes. The first note directs him to page 541 of the dictionary, which includes an entry for frindle and credits Nick with its conception. The second note—which Nick signed and dated 10 years prior—begins with a surprising line: “If you are reading this letter, it means that the word frindle has been added to the dictionary. Congratulations” (98). As he reads, Nick realizes that Mrs. Granger rooted for his word for most of his fifth-grade year. She knew that by pushing back, she helped create a fascinating story that captured the nation’s attention. Nick also receives a replica of Mrs. Granger’s favorite maroon fountain pen, containing a one-word note folded beneath the clip: “Frindle.”
Later that year, on Christmas morning, Mrs. Granger discovers a package on her front porch and a letter in her mailbox. The letter comes from the school’s superintendent, informing her that an anonymous student has created a permanent trust fund in Mrs. Granger’s name for college scholarships. Flabbergasted, Mrs. Granger wants to call the superintendent to sort out the mistake, but she refrains for the holiday. She then opens the package, which includes a sloppy, grammatically erroneous note (ostensibly written by a fifth grader) and a velvet case. Inside the case is a gold fountain pen with a fine inscription: “This object belongs to Mrs. Lorelei Granger, and she may call it any name she chooses. —With love from Nicholas Allen” (104).
Chapter 13 begins with an atmospheric change: fall and winter pass, and the frindle frenzy dies down, though by no means do students stop using the word: “By the middle of February, frindle was just a word, like door or tree or hat. People in Westfield barely noticed it anymore” (84). This development reflects the process of lasting change; many fads rise and fall quickly, and while the tone calms around frindle discourse, it doesn’t disappear. Narratively, this shift denotes the start of the novel’s falling action, leaving Nick to contemplate the past year’s events. Nick must wait a decade before the resolution of his own story, which will prove the perseverance of his legacy.
Seeing the widespread consequences of his actions, Nick grows to fear his ideas, which he learns to keep bottled inside along with his spark for life. Nick becomes the perfect student: He completes all his work well, doesn’t speak out of turn, and doesn’t cause distractions in class. However, for Nick, this is a sign that something is wrong. He reaction to fame demonstrates how his ideas don’t serve to achieve fame and fortune; rather, he simply loves generating and puzzling out the logistics of implementing an idea, and his motives center around bringing joy to his community. Mrs. Granger is concerned when she notices his light extinguish, so she offers Nick encouragement that rebolsters his confidence to pursue new ideas. Nick’s imagination is central to his identity, and Mrs. Granger recognizes that the world is much better for it.
The novel’s themes and a motif (a frindle/pen) are tied together with Nick and Mrs. Granger’s pen exchange. Pens are important to anyone who loves words, and Nick grew to love his word more than anyone. Mrs. Granger gifts Nick a replica of her favorite pen, and Nick responds in kind with a pen that instigated the frindle phenomenon—a gold fountain pen like the one Janet Fisk found on the road. This time, instead of insisting that the gold pen is a frindle, Nick permits Mrs. Granger give it “any name she chooses” (104). These acts fully restore their relationship and grant each a renewed appreciation for the other.
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By Andrew Clements