What is the message of I Am the Cheese?
Discovering and Altering One’s Identity While most coming-of-age novels deal with the protagonist’s attempt to discover his own identity, I Am the Cheese adds a twist. Cormier alters the typical arc, because the truth of Adam’s identity is so horrifying that Adam cannot comprehend it.
What does Amy call her pranks I Am the Cheese?
Numbers
Amy is seduced by the idea of flouting authority and is not afraid of getting caught. Her boldness rubs off on Adam, who is never shy around her, and she draws him into her pranks, called Numbers.
Why is I Am the Cheese banned?
“I Am the Cheese has been banned in the Bay County school system because the ideas it contains are offensive to a few. No ruse can obscure that fact. I am asking you to go on record, to vote to restore a book rather than to censor it.” She sat down to a burst of applause.
What does the ending of I Am the Cheese mean?
Adam sings “The Farmer in the Dell” as the doctor opens up the package and takes out Pokey the Pig, Adam’s old stuffed animal. Adam finishes the song, which ends with “The cheese stands alone.” The doctor calls him Paul, and Adam wonders who that is. He knows there is another name, but he cannot think about it.
Who is Witness 599 6 in I Am the Cheese?
Adam does not reveal any information given by “Witness #599–6,” Adam’s father, a member of the Witness Re-Establishment Project. The report also says that Adam withdraws completely when he tries to remember the death of his father and mother, but that the knowledge may be in the “psychological residue” of the subject.
Why is it called I Am the Cheese?
By Robert Cormier The last line of the song is “The cheese stands alone.” So by saying “I am the cheese” (31.39), Adam is saying that he knows he is alone. The cheese is the only one who doesn’t (cheeses are inanimate objects, after all). In this sense, Adam really is the cheese: he lacks control over his own destiny.
Who is Adam Farmer?
Adam Farmer The novel’s protagonist. Adam narrates his bike trip to Rutterburg to see his father, David. He also has conversations with someone named Brint in some kind of institution. He is a fearful, sensitive, paranoid, alienated teenager.
What is Adams mother’s name in I Am the Cheese?
Author Biography He was one of eight children of Lucien Cormier, a factory worker, and his wife Irma.
Is Rutterburg Vermont a real place?
The novel opens with protagonist Adam Farmer biking from his home in the fictional town of Monument, Massachusetts, (based on Cormier’s home town of Leominster, Massachusetts) to visit his father in Rutterburg, Vermont.
What does the cheese stands alone mean?
This expression is used to say that someone is all alone or feels alone in a situation— isolated and like the odd person out. It is often used when someone feels alone or left out in a group setting.
What does Pokey the Pig represent for Adam?
Pokey the Pig The animal is a poignant link to Adam’s lost childhood. The pig also symbolizes Adam’s desire to understand his identity and past experiences, as well as his return to an infantile state when he cannot face the truth of his identity.
How do Whipper Dobbie and Lewis harass Adam?
These three “wise guys” (14.7) give Adam a hard time on one of his first stops along his bike ride. They’re pretty much the textbook definition of bullies. Throughout Chapter 14 they throw things at Adam, ask him a lot of mean questions, and talk about stealing his stuff.
Who are the characters in I am the cheese?
See a complete list of the characters in I Am the Cheese and in-depth analyses of Adam, Brint, David Farmer/Anthony Delmonte, Grey, and Louise Farmer. Here’s where you’ll find analysis about the book as a whole. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading these key quotes.
When does Adam discover his identity in I am the cheese?
Cormier uses the typical narrative arc of the adolescent protagonist—the teenager discover his identity by the end of the novel. Adam’s identity becomes clearer just before the end of the novel.
What was the twist in I am the cheese?
While most coming-of-age novels deal with the protagonist’s attempt to discover his own identity, I Am the Cheese adds a twist. Adam’s identity is out there somewhere, but it is buried beneath two separate, horrific layers.
What does Brint think about Anthony in I am the cheese?
Brint asks several times about Anthony’s information, but Adam says he never questioned his father, and is taken aback by Brint’s aggressive requests. He thinks that Brint may be one of his father’s enemies, but he acknowledges his dependence on Brint for recovering his memory.