50 pages • 1 hour read
Dan GutmanThe Homework Machine
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Game of Chess
Throughout the book, chess symbolizes loneliness, unity, and hope. In Chapter 1, Brenton’s mother mentions that from an early age Brenton learned to play chess and plays against himself. Snik interprets Brenton’s solo games of chess as symbols of his loneliness and solitude, reiterating that “the kid had no friends” (55). The flip side is that by playing himself, Brenton shows resourcefulness and dedication to the game. The game of chess develops into a symbol of unity and hope: Snik and his father stay connected while his father is deployed by playing online chess, and Brenton and Snik’s relationship flourishes by playing chess together. Snik’s low self-esteem is raised when he realizes that he is good at chess and can beat Brenton. Chess also bridges the gap between the pro-war and antiwar viewpoints that exist within the group. They can all appreciate that strategy is the most important feature of both war and chess, with Brenton proposing, “I have always thought that instead of fighting wars, the leaders of the two sides should play a game of chess against each other. Whoever wins the game wins the war. Nobody has to die. War is not the answer. Chess is the answer” (78). Chess ties the group together after the investigation is over, and the unfinished game Snik has with his late father, which he will finish in the “afterlife,” keeps his father’s memory alive.
Guilt
Guilt is a motif that runs throughout the book. Every character experiences guilt at some point. Snik, Judy, and Kelsey admit to feeling guilty (to varying degrees) for cheating on their homework while Brenton feels guilty for allowing Kelsey and Snik to fall further behind academically. Brenton also feels guilty for not telling Kelsey and Snik why he had to leak the information: “In the long run, it would be better for Snik and Kelsey to do their own homework. But I didn’t have the courage to confront them directly. In that regard, I am a coward” (121). The kids’ mothers express their guilt in missing signs that the four were involved in something underhanded, and police chief Rebecca Fish expresses regret that she dismissed reports of a homework machine as “a load of bull” (88). Ronnie, who correctly predicts that the D Squad is cheating, is also guilty of lying to the police about trying to break into Brenton’s house. Ultimately, their admissions of guilt are what shows the police that the D Squad is truly sorry. The determination of each member to take responsibility highlights the respect and friendship that had formed between the four students. As observed by Miss Rasmussen, “The four of them started arguing about which one of them was most to blame, and instead of blaming each other, they all blamed themselves. They were all apologizing at once. I have never seen anything like it” (136). Miss Rasmussen confesses that she is also guilty since she should have “known what was going on” (136) as their teacher.
Secrets and Secrecy
The motif of secrecy runs through the narrative, with the Grand Canyon itself holding onto secrets of the “strange stuff” that happens there. Kelsey has bottled up her emotions and kept her father’s death a secret from her peers for years. It is only when Snik’s father is in danger that she is unable to hold back her grief and shares her story, getting much needed comfort and support from her classmates. Judy keeps the C she gets on her class test secret, highlighting the pressure to excel she feels from her parents. The most obvious secret is Belch. Gutman explores the effects of secrecy on the D Squad’s mental health, as are the positive effects of being part of a group formed because of a secret. The forced development of bonds between the four fifth graders turn into genuine friendship. More subtle examples of secrecy are shown by Snik’s insecurities, which he hides with jokes and sarcasm, and the secrecy surrounding the identity of the “stalker,” which adds to Milner’s shadiness.
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By Dan Gutman
