55 pages • 1 hour read
Betty G. BirneyThe World According to Humphrey
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2004A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
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Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
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BetaSymbols & Motifs
Humphrey’s Cage
Because he is a Hamster, much of Humphrey’s experience is confinement in his cage. However, contrary to expectations, Humphrey’s cage is not symbolic of restriction, but of home, security, and friendship. Humphrey’s cage has a faulty lock, the “lock-that doesn’t-lock,” allowing him to leave whenever he pleases. However, when he runs into danger, he longs for his cage, which he regards as “protective comfort” (12).
Humphrey’s cage allows him to enter the lives of the students and staff of Longfellow School while retaining a sense of home wherever he goes. The lock-that-doesn’t-lock allows Humphrey to retain an autonomy that he would otherwise be denied; because he can leave the cage at any time, he is able to enact plans such as leaving the ad for the Moonlighters Club for Aldo or unplugging the television at A.J.’s house.
Mrs. Brisbane uses Humphrey’s cage to draw contrast with the metaphorical cage her husband, Bert, has created during his convalescence. While Humphrey’s cage represents mobility and a sense of place, Bert, who is confined to a wheelchair, has built a mental cage that prevents him from interacting with the world in the ways he used to. Bert’s attitude becomes sour, making life miserable for Mrs. Brisbane. Humphrey escapes from his cage and has Bert chase him around in his wheelchair, showing Bert that he can escape from his cage as well.
Bullying
Bullying, or the fear of being bullied, is a motif in several sections of The World According to Humphrey. As the book shows, bullying tends to belie the factors that lead a student to become a bully or a victim of bullying to begin with. Bullying reveals the underlying fears and motivations of several students of Room 26. Garth is the most notable example. He begins bullying his classmates when his mother falls ill, making him unable to take care of Humphrey on the weekends like his classmates. Mrs. Brisbane, a veteran teacher, is immediately aware that something is amiss with Garth’s behavior. Consequently, she is able to step in and alter it. Sayeh, in contrast, is afraid of being bullied. Because her parents are non-English speakers, she, too, has an accent. This makes her self-conscious: She thinks she will be bullied if she speaks up. However, thanks to Humphrey, she eventually gains the confidence to not only speak up in class, but also to sing the national anthem, indicating that she has overcome her fear of bullying.
Guide to the Care and Feeding of Hamsters
The Guide to the Care and Feeding of Hamsters by Dr. Harvey H. Hammer is a fictional pet-care book in The Life According to Humphrey. Birney includes selections from this book at the end of each chapter, making it the most noticeable motif. Dr. Hammer’s book is used by the students of Room 26 to learn how to take care of Humphrey since Mrs. Brisbane will not help. Mrs. Brisbane, too, turns to the book to help her take care of Humphrey when she takes him home over Thanksgiving break. Humphrey writes a corresponding guide called “Humphrey’s Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans,” which wraps up the book with a list of ten lessons Humphrey has learned so far during his time in Room 26.
Each quote corresponds thematically to the events that take place in the preceding chapter. For example, at the end of Chapter 5, Birney includes: “TIP FIVE: If a hamster manages to escape his cage, you can sometimes lure him back in with a trail of sunflower seeds” (41). This corresponds directly to Humphrey helping Mr. Morales get Willie and Brenda work together. Many of these tips explain hamster behavior that the narrative otherwise takes for granted. For example, Tip Seven explains that “when hamsters feel intimidated, they often puff up their cheeks” (56). Puffing up is a common defense mechanism in animals. In this case, Humphrey puffs up his cheeks because he feels threatened by Garth’s behavior.
