CAPTAIN NOBODY
– SYNOPSIS BY CHAPTER
CHAPTER 1 : NOBODY EATS BREAKFAST 1. It is the last Friday in October, everybody in Appleton is excited for the derby of of an American football game between the Ferocious Ferrets of Fillmore High School and the Chargers of Merrimac High School – also known as the Big Game. 2. Newton Newman (Newt) has a big brother, Chris Newman (Chris),who is a local football star, who plays for the Ferocious Ferrets after an electrifying electrifying debut two debut two years back. 3. Newt is preparing breakfast for his family when he comes across an article of his brother in the Sports section of the local newspaper. 4. At first, Newt is eager to show the article article to Dad but he is held down when down when the phone rings. 5. On the other hand, Mom is also busy receiving a call from their neighbour. 6. Newt gets frustrated as both of his parents have not touched their breakfast. 7. To make himself feel useful, Newt goes upstairs to woke his brother up. 8. Annoyed with Newt’s bellow, Chris throws a pillow at him him but ends up hitting the hitting the floor hard. CHAPTER 2 : HALLOWEEN PLANS ARE MADE – SORT OF 1. Appleton Elementary is packed with different kinds of kids and actions. 2. At times, he tries to be friendly friendly and greets his classmates but often, they just just stare back fiercely and ignore him. 3. Before the classes start, Newt finds a quiet place for him to settle down. down. 4. He takes out one of his Secret Superhero Sketchbooks and starts playing with his imagination. 5. Newt has never shown his sketching of the superhero characters to anyone else except to his two best friends, Cecil and JJ, who have utmost admiration towards Newt’s creativity. 6. Cecil alerts them of the coming Halloween and suggests that they celebrate it as usual. 7. Talking about celebrating Halloween, the three of them are bored with their own costumes as they have been wearing the same outfits for years. 8. Eventually, Cecil suggests that each of them needs to come out with an outstandingHalloween outstandingHalloween costume based on their ‘inner other’ that will catch everybody’s attention.
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CHAPTER 3 : I SEARCH FOR SOMEBODY I AM NOT 1. During social studies class, Newt is still searching for an idea for his Halloween costume. 2. He imagines himself as Zeus, the god of lightning according to the Greek myth, but soon realises that he does not fit in the descriptions shown by his subject teacher. 3. Not giving up, he raises his hand asking Mrs. Young what the American pioneers wore when they built the country. 4. Although Newt is ridiculed by his classmate, the answer given by his teacher is more than enough for him to rule out the possibility of having such costume for Halloween. 5. The school ends early so the students and locals can watch the Big Game Pep Parade on the street. 6. Newton is ecstatic to attend his brother’s last game of the season. 7. On the other hand, Cecil and JJ are more incline to their Halloween costumes. 8. That has put Newt back in dilemma as he is having hard time thinking about his own Halloween costume. 9. Newt falls asleep while figuring out the design of his costume only to wake up after he has a terrible dream. 10. It is time for the Big Game as his parents are getting ready for it and with heavy heart, Newt has to put aside his coming Halloween celebration and shift his focus on the final game.
CHAPTER 4 : FOOTBALL IS PLAYED AND MISTAKES ARE MADE 1. Newt stops thinking about Halloween when he recalls the moment Chris mentions Reggie Ratner, an opponent from Merrimac High, who has always been holding grudges against his brother. 2. To make it worst, during the Big Game, the crowd play sentiment on both Chris and Reggie. 3. Newt, who is now away from his bleacher, is shown his way out after he fails to present his seat ticket to the person in charge. 4. When the final quarter starts, both teams are level and unfortunately, Newt is forced to watch the game from outside the wire fence surrounding Fillmore Field. 5. He can see that the Home team, especially his brother, is playing their hearts out until the game reaches its last 45 seconds – the Away team is leading by two points. 6. Without giving up, the Big Game is getting more intense during the last seven seconds. 7. The Ferrets show high determination and Chris manages to get a last minute touchdown. 8. There are mixed feelings on the ground as the opponents bow down to their defeat and the home crowd is jubilant with the winning streak. CHAPTER 5 : THE BAD DREAMS BEGIN 1. Chris is unconscious as the result of the winning touchdown. 2. The whole ground is in complete silence when Chris is being attended and brought to the hospital. 3. Chris’ test results come out and fortunately he is not suffering from any broken parts, he is just in coma. 4. Back in his room, Newt still cannot forget what happened during the winning touchdown as he describes it as the thunderous crash. 5. He tries to revert his concentration to Halloween as the Big Game incident keeps rewinding in his mind. 6. The next day, Newt answers various callers trying to get some news about Chris. 2
7. Cecil and JJ drop by at Newt’s house to give a few things to cheer him up. 8. The local community is talking about the touchdown incident and starts calling it the Big Tackle. 9. Cecil also tells Newt that some of the Ferrets get some revenge on Reggie, the Chargers’ defensive back who is accused of causing Chris to get into his com a. 10. As the Newt recalls the Big Tackle, JJ tries to divert his attention by asking about their Halloween plan. 11. Speechless, Newt tries to avoid Halloween by saying that he has lots of chores to settle. 12. Both Cecil and JJ are not convinced and they decide to meet the next day at 6.00 p.m for Halloween. CHAPTER 6 : I GET A TERRIBLE IDEA 1. Newt is frantically searching for idea as he is running out of time to come out with his Halloween costume and falls asleep soon after. 2. By noon, Newt is still clueless about his costume and he decides not to celebrate Halloween. 3. He then falls asleep when sketching his latest fantasy superhero character. 4. Mom is already home when Newt wakes up. 5. After peeping at Mom holding his brother’s sweatshirt, Newt asks if there is anything he can do to cheer her up. 6. But Newt is told that he could do nothing for the moment. 7. Taken aback by Mom’s words, he decides to prove that he is useful in such stressful situation. 8. Just before he can cheer Mom up by wearing his brother’s football jersey, she has already left home for the hospital. 9. In the meantime, Cecil and JJ arrive at Newt’s doorstep. 10. Newt clumsily opens the door only to find that he is in awe of his two friends. 11. Cecil disguises himself as the famous musician, Mozart whereas JJ is dressed up as Splendida, a fictional character from her favourite book. 12. Lastly, the big and important question pops out, ‘What is Newton Newman going to be for Halloween?’ CHAPTER 7 : I HIDE – AND FIND MYSELF 1. Newt is out of words when is asked to explain about his outfit as he is wearing his brother’s pieces of clothing. 2. JJ asks Newt if there is something wrong with his brother. 3. Newt replies that his brother is doing fine. 4. He does not want to let his best friends down so he insists that both of them should continue celebrating Halloween without him. 5. Newt finally confesses that he does not have a costume for himself and he immediately explains everything that he did in search for a suitable costume before Cecil and JJ can respond to the confession. 6. After a long silence, Cecil and JJ decide to transform Newt’s outfit on the spot. 7. Both of them alter the pieces of clothing that Newt is wearing and eventually they manage to produce an outstanding costume. 8. They reach the ultimate transformation when JJ cuts two small holes on the sweatband that Newt is wearing o his forehead and change it into a mask. 9. Newt himself feels rejuvenated after looking at himself in the mirror. 10. The three of them feel ecstatic as they finally manage to celebrate the Halloween together. 3
CHAPTER 8 : I RAISE MY VOICE 1. When they arrive at the first stop, the lady and her husband living in the house are rejoiced when they look at Cecil, JJ and Newt. 2. The lady has perfectly guessed Cecil’s and JJ’s Halloween costumes. 3. Then, the couple turns their attention to Newt, who is still searching for an identity of his own as he has not named his alter ego yet. 4. The lady’s husband notices C.N. on the middle of Newt’s forehead and he directly asks them about those initials. 5. Surprised by the question, Newton is tongue-tied at first while both Cecil and JJ are quick enough to throw some hints when they see Newton first reaction after being asked by the m an. 6. Eventually, Newt manages to overcome his own fear and he reveals himself as Captain Nobody, C.N. CHAPTER 9 : I PRACTISE MY NEW NAME 1. After they leave the first house, Cecil and JJ really like the idea of ‘Captain Nobody’ 2. JJ gets a bit emotional as she can see that Newt seems to forget about his brother’s critical condition after being enthusiastic of becoming Captain Nobody. 3. This time around, it is Newt who breaks the awkward moment and urges his two best friends to focus on celebrating Halloween. 4. On that night, people show great interest into the three of them. 5. The attention that they get has been joyful especially for Newton. 6. 6.He feels more confident being Captain Nobody than being Newton Newman. 7. Cecil and JJ are also aware of Newt’s change of attitude when they are counting their trick or-treat collection under the street lights. 8. When Newt arrives at his house, his mother has already hit the sack . 9. He is a little bit disappointed because he wants to show his Halloween costume to her. 10. Just before he falls asleep, Newt reassures himself by saying that he is not supposed to be anybody, he is Captain Nobody. CHAPTER 10 : I MAKE A WILD WARDROBE CHOICE 1. Newt, who has always been positive about his brother, cannot stop ruling out the worst outcome of his brother’s condition and he feels uneasy about it. 2. Then, he quickly realises that he needs to get ready for school. 3. He tries to look for his school outfit and after he fails to find an appropriate one, he goes to school with the Captain Nobody’s costume. 4. There are mixed reactions from his classmates; some make fun of him wearing the outfit but Cecil and JJ show support for his wild wardrobe choice. 5. Mrs. Young successfully manages the situation in the class from going haywire as all eyes are set on Captain Nobody and a few kids start mocking him. 6. In the Principal’s office, a discussion is going on between Principal Toomey and Mrs. Young while Captain Nobody waits outside. 7. On a serious note, Mrs. Young jumps into a conclusion that Newt is having a hard time coping with his brother’s latest condition and she reports that Newt insists of being called Captain Nobody. 8. After that, a more heated discussion is going on after the school counsellor and nurse join in and later on, the principal tells Newt that Captain Nobody is welcomed in the school. 4
9. During lunch break, Cecil and JJ insist of becoming Captain Nobody’s sidekicks and tell Newt to continue becoming Captain Nobody because people start to notice them ever since. CHAPTER 11 : CAPTAIN NOBODY FACES A FEAR 1. Newt runs home after he realises that his parents still do not know about Captain Nobody and he does not want to get weird reaction from them. 2. As he is running, Cecil summons for Captain Nobody and thinking he is joking, Newt just ignores it. 3. Although feeling reluctant, Newt decides to respond to the call and meet Cecil at the corner of Wareen and Kander streets. 4. Cecil leads their way, together with a wagon, passing by Dumpsters and garb age cans until they stop at one point. 5. There is a big bass drum which has been thrown away, sitting on the of the Dumpster that catches Cecil’s attention. 6. Feeling determined to own the drum, Cecil is feeling hopeful that Captain Nobody will lend his hands to get it down from the top of he Dumpster. 7. Newt is afraid of heights. So, he suggests Cecil to be the one who should climb the Dumpster. 8. After Cecil makes it clear that the job is meant for the fearless Captain Nobody, Newt changes his mind. 9. Captain Nobody climbs on and carefully passes the drum to his sidekick, Cecil who is waiting with open arms on the ground. 10. As Captain Nobody is about to settle down, he screams his lungs out when a hand suddenly comes out from the pile of cardboard boxes and grabs him by his ankle. CHAPTER 12 : CAPTAIN NOBODY FIRST COMES TO THE RESCUE 1. Surprised by the incident, Cecil shouts at the old man who is holding Captain Nobody’s ankle and the old man quickly releases his hand off. 2. Captain Nobody recognises the familiar face of the old man, Mr. Clay, who used to be a locksmith, because his mother has used some of his services when she was in trouble. 3. Cecil is still skeptical about Mr. Clay and tries to warn Captain Nobody that the old man might be dangerous to them. 4. Captain Nobody claims that the old man is not harmful to them, it is just that he is suffering from a diseases, Alzheimer. 5. Mr. Clay drops his plastic medicine bottle into Captain Nobody’s hand which immediately explains the old man’s situation. 6. After introducing himself as Captain Nobody, he and Cecil walk Mr. Clay home. 7. Captain Nobody knows where the old man lives as he always parks his cherry red van in front of his house. 8. Mrs. Clay is relieved when she sees her husband standing at the front door of their house. 9. Mr. Clay explains that he is rescued by Captain Nobody. CHAPTER 13 : DAD MEETS CAPTAIN NOBODY 1. Newt heads home and gets excited when he sees his father’s car in the driveway . 2. In the kitchen, Dad meets Captain Nobody for the first time. 3. A moment after that, Dad starts to apologise to Newt because he has received several calls from the school. 4. After the meeting in the Principal’s office, the people from school think that Captain Nobody appears in school because he is so upset about his brother’s condition. 5. Newt tries his very best to reason with Dad about being Captain Nobody outside the house. 5
6. Dad feels relieved after Newt manages to assure him that he is still being himself and his alter ago is just some sort of confidence booster. 7. Dad even takes a photo of Captain Nobody and sends it to Mom. 8. Suddenly, the walkie-talkie squeals in the middle of their conversation. 9. Cecil makes contact just to ask a silly favour from Captain Nobody and Newt, who is in disbelief, starts to make a weird sound through the walkie-talkie as if the device is running out of battery. 10. As Newt is about to sleep, Dad tells him that Mom is having a good laugh about Captain Nobody and she starts showing the image to everybody in the hospital. 11. Dad explains about the current situation and hospital procedures that they need to follow and he assures Newt will be the first one to visit if the situation improves. CHAPTER 14 : CERTAIN THREATS ARE MADE 1. The next morning, nobody is making fun at Newt disguising as Captain Nobody and even Mrs. Young addresses him accordingly. 2. Later on, after Cecil explains to JJ how to operate her walkie-talkie, the three of them decide to test their new mode of alternative communication. 3. As Newt is about to respond on the walkie-talkie, a football hit at the back of his head. 4. It comes from the students in the seventh grade and one particular kid named Ricky Ratner approaches Newt in a non-friendly manner. 5. Ricky, who happens to be Reggie’s cousin, wants Newt to make everyone know that Reggie is not the culprit of the Big Tackle that leads to Chris’s critical condition. 6. Things are about to get uglier during the heated conversation between Ricky and Newt when suddenly all of the fourth graders stand up for Newt, Cecil and JJ. 7. Before the crowd disperses, the confrontation ends with a threat from Ricky for Newt. 8. Cecil makes a point that the vibes coming from Captain Nobody make everyone in the fourth grade becomes more courageous. 9. After what had happened, Newt has to carefully sneak out from the school. 10. He is shocked the moment JJ calls for Captain Nobody’s help through the walkie-talkie. 11. Captain Nobody dashes to the Sullivan’s Jewelry Store after their conversation ends with JJ screaming at the other end of the line. CHAPTER 15 : BAD SPELLING LEADS TO SOMETHING WORSE 1. Captain Nobody is almost out of breath when he arrives at the curb in front of Sullivan’s Jewelry store. 2. JJ cannot get herself over with the spelling and grammar mistakes found on the cardboard signs in the jewelry store. 3. She has tried talking to the Sullivan but she is ignored by the couple. 4. JJ insists that Captain Nobody can make a difference if he goes in and talk to the owners. 5. Feeling obliged to the duty of a superhero, Captain Nobody steps into the store where he c an clearly see Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan at the far end with their only customer. 6. Afraid that he is interrupting their business, Captain Nobody wants to leave the store but the couple insists that they will be hearing anything from him. 7. Captain Nobody cannot believe his eyes as he stares at the customer’s sweatshirt because he is holding a gun inside of the pocket. 8. The situation becomes more chaotic when Mr. Sullivan manages to sound the alarm in the store. 9. Before the robber flees the scene, he threatens Captain Nobody not to report the incident to the authority or something bad will happen to him. 6
10. After being warned, Captain Nobody immediately walks out the store and wants to leave the scene. 11. JJ tries to convince Captain Nobody to talk to the police about the robbery. 12. Both of them run away when Captain Nobody explains about the threat he has received from the robber.
CHAPTER 16 : I DON’T APPEAR ON THE FIVE O’CLOCK NEWS
1. Newt reaches home late after the robbery. 2. Although terrified with the incident, he is able to sense something is not going well after hearing Mom’s response. 3. The conversation is halted when the phone rings for Mom. 4. Newt helps himself in the kitchen and watches the television. 5. To his surprise, the news is reporting on the robbery in the Sullivan’s Jewelry Store. 6. He is quite annoyed with the news report as Captain Nobody is referred as ‘the little guy’, ‘a midget ’ and even as ‘a leprechaun’. 7. JJ phones Newt to talk about the news report and he reminds JJ not to spread a word about the incident. 8. That night, Newt to talk about the news report and he reminds JJ not to spread a word about the incident. 9. That night, Newt is having dinner with Mom and both of them seem to have secrets that they do not wish to reveal to one another. 10. Before he goes to bed, he reflects all the bad and good incidents that Captain Nobody has gone through. 11. He dreams about his brother again, but this time Chris addresses him as ‘Captain’ and Newt feels proud to be acknowledged by his brother. 12. The next morning, he comes to a huge relief after hearing the first news because the robber has been arrested. 13. The second news, however, is not that promising. He finds a crumpled paper in the trash bin. 14. He is now aware that Chris will be in more serious trouble if he does not wake up after 6 days. 15. He realises that his parents are heavily distracted because of the bad news and he is determined to make the situation becomes better. CHAPTER 17 : I CHEAT DEATH 1. Darryl and Colby are on a special tour to show supports to Chris Newman after the Big Tackle incident by bringing along the team ambassador, Ferocious the Ferret. 2. A lucky student will get the chance to bring Ferocious home for one day. 3. Newt gets to babysit the animal and he is unhappy about it since he has a pl an to visit his brother after school. 4. As the three of them are walking home, Ricky Ratner and six of his friends are blocking their way. 5. Unlike before, this time around, Ricky is angrier as his cousin, Reggie, is still being hassled by Chris’s friends. 6. Ricky notices the ferret and he signals his friends to scramble the animal’s cage. 7. Suddenly, the cage door opens and Ferocious jumps out and gets away. 8. Captain Nobody, Cecil and JJ chase the animal off until they reach the highway. 7
9. Captain Nobody needs to come at the rescue for once again and this time, he dodges the incoming traffic light just to get Ferocious back. 10. Being overwhelmed by the dangerous situation, Captain Nobody waves frantically, hoping for the vehicles to stop. 11. As soon as the traffic stops, just about in the nick of time, a small aeroplane carrying passengers makes an emergency landing on the highway! 12. Everybody who is at the scene cannot believe their own eyes and when the word seems to stop for a moment, Ferocious sits on Captain Nobody’s ankle and he scoops the ferret up safely. CHAPTER 18 : I LEARN AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH 1. After Ferocious the Ferret has been caught, they leave the place as they need to gather their things that they have left by the roadside. 2. At Newt’s house, the news about the aeroplane landing has become a sensation. 3. Every person who is interviewed in the news gives their thoughts about the incident, also mentioning what Captain Nobody has done in stopping the busy traffic. 4. The reporter concludes that it is undecided either Captain Nobody is good or evil. 5. Cecil and JJ insist that they should go back to the highway and explain about the whole situation. 6. Captain Nobody, on the other hand, feels that he should revert himself by becoming Newton Newman after what he has been through. 7. By the time Cecil and JJ leave the house, it is already too late for Newt to visit his brother. 8. Around dinner time, Dad calls to inform that he is going to stay over at the hospital with Mom. 9. Newt also informs that his days as Captain Nobody are already over. 10. That night, he dreams about the highway incident which then suddenly the Big Tackle incident starts to rewind. 11. At the end of the dream, Newt learns that it is Darryl Peeps who had clashed his helmet against his brother’s. CHAPTER 19 : REGGIE RATNER DECIDES TO END IT ALL 1. The next morning starts off with Newt having breakfast with Mom. 2. Newt mentions that he knows about Chris only has 6 days to wake up and he suprises Mom by announcing that he is going to visit Chris later on that day. 3. Although he pledges that he will not be wearing the costume again, he stuffs the outfit into his backpack and heads for school. 4. He realises that he feels so lonely and ignored after returning to school as Newton Newman. 5. When Newt is heading for his lunch break, he notices a lot of teachers rushing into the faculty lounge and gather around the television. 6. There is news on the television reporting about Reggie Ratner wants to jump off the Appleton water tower after feeling depressed since the Big Tackle incident. 7. Newt is in dilemma as he claims that he is the only one who knows the truth about the Big Tackle incident. CHAPTER 20 : I CLIMB UP TO THE SKY 1. As JJ trying to lift Captain Nobody to get a good trip on the second rung of the ladder, a policeman approaches them. 2. Cecil feels dutiful as Captain Nobody’s sidekick and he tries to shift the officer’s attention and it works.
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3. Although the water tower supportive structures, including the ladder, are not as strong as it used to be, Captain Nobody manages to slither his way to reach Reggie Ratner despites the other challenges that he had to face. 4. On top of the tower, they both talk to each other about the Big Game and the series of event that has been happening after the incident. 5. Captain Nobody learns that Reggie climbs the tower to vandalise the water tank. 6. The truth is actually Reggie’s left foot is stuck and he needs Captain Nobody to untie his shoelace of which Captain Nobody manages to help Reggie and it is broadcasted through the news channels in the country. 7. Then, when they reach at a critical point, Reggie becomes unconvinced since Captain Nobody needs to climb the ladder down first. 8. As Captain Nobody is counting every step down, he is surprised to see Reggie is also getting his hands on the ladder. 9. Trying to find his balance with his feet dangling on the air, Captain Nobody loses his grip and falls down. CHAPTER 21 : I FINISH FALLING 1. Captain Nobody feels time is passing by rapidly and everything seems to fall into pieces at the same time. 2. Fortunately, a huge, inflated rubber mattress catches him from hitting the hard ground. 3. Captain Nobody is about to celebrate his safe touch on the ground when he suddenly sees a massive figure falling to his landing spot. 4. Captain Nobody swoons himself as the result of the impact by the huge Reggie Ratner. CHAPTER 22 : I FINALLY GET TO THE HOSPITAL 1. Newt does not realise that he is in the hospital until Mom explains that he suffers from a broken ankle and ribs. 2. From his bed, he sees Cecil on the television responding to the media on behalf of Captain Nobody. 3. Mom and Dad begins to tell what had really happened after Captain Nobody passes out and they cannot stop worrying about him since the live broadcast appears on the television. 4. Suddenly, Reggie shows up and visits Newt with a lot of reporters waiting eagerly behind the sliding door of the recovery room. 5. Watching at his parents feeling a bit bitter towards Reggie, Newt begins to reveal that it was actually Darryl Peeps who knocks Chris out during the Big Tackle. 6. From the recovery room, Newt is transferred into the same room where his brother has been lying motionlessly . 7. Although finally he has the chance to meet his brother in the hospital, he feels useless as he cannot help his brother to wake up. He wishes to tell his brother about Captain Nobody. 8. While he is thinking to himself and rewinding the memory that he has in the morning of the Big Game, Newt lets out a scream, ‘ HIT THE SHOWERS!’ without realising it. 9. The nurses rush in and as he is about to explain to them, Chris throws a pillow at his head, just like what he will do at home. 10. Chris is finally awake! CHAPTER 23 : I WAKE UP IN THE NEWS 1. It seems the happiest celebration in the hospital the moment Chris wakes up from his coma. 2. Newt, too, is getting the attention that he has never experienced before. 3. He wants to be the first to talk to Chris but the shot given by the nurse earlier makes him fall into his sleep. 9
4. Newt wakes up in the next morning and finds himself at his own house . 5. Cecil and JJ are also in the house and they start talking about the media coverage that they g et after the water tower incident. 6. On the other hand, Chris is nowhere to be seen in the house as he is attending a local television morning show. 7. The hostess and Chris talk excitedly about what had happened and at the end of the show, Chris shocks everyone who is watching. 8. Chris insists that the victory parade should be led by the real hero, Captain Nobody, instead of the winner of the Big Game. 9. That night, although Newt cannot get rid of the pain, he refuses to take the painkiller because he wants to wait for Chris instead of falling asleep. 10. When Chris arrives home, they set their eyes for good since the Big Game incident and miraculously, Newt can feel the pain fading away. CHAPTER 24 : A LITTLE OLD LADY MAKES ME LAUGH 1. The parade is one of the memorable moments for Appleton because for the first time, the Fillmore High School band is joined by Merrimac’s marching band. 2. Darryl Peeps is not blamed for the Big Tackle and even Reggie gets backs his peaceful life. 3. To reward their special contributions to the society, Newt, Cecil and JJ r eceive a token of appreciation from the Sullivan couple, the pilot and passengers of the small aeroplane and MR. Clay the locksmith respectively. 4. When they reach home, the normal routines get back on track, with Mom asking Newt where she has misplaced most of her belongings and Dad gets himself busy with his phone and beeper. 5. But, it is not the same story for Newton Newman since all the exposure that he has after becoming Captain Nobody. 6. Newt is now as popular as his brother, Chris, and event at one point, Chris tells Newt about a weird incident during the parade. 7. A little old lady from outside town claims that she did know that Newton Newman has an older brother and that has made Newt laugh heartily . 8. The ending comes to a point when Chris jokingly says that there is a monster under Newt’s bed just before he switches off the light.
Captain Nobody Important Events Captain Nobody foils a robbery.
JJ gives Newt an emergency call on the walkie-talkie. She is upset about the spelling mistakes on the signs outside Sullivan’s Jewelry Store. She insists that Captain Nobody (Newt) talk to Mr & Mrs Sullivan about this.
Captain Nobody enters the store when a robber is actually pointing a hidden gun at the Sullivans. This creates a distraction which gives Mrs Sullivan the chance to press the alarm and alert the police. 10
The robber flees. The news is widely reported on television. Everyone wants to know more about Captain Nobody, but Newt is not hungry for publicity.
Captain Nobody prevents an air crash
Newt and his friends are taking the mascot – Ferocious the Ferret – to Newt’s home. On the way, they are confronted by Ricky Ratner and his seventh-grade gang. In the struggle between the two groups, the door of the cage springs open and the ferret springs out.
Newt and his friend chase after it to get it back. The ferret runs across the freeway and back several times with Newt chasing it. All traffic comes to a standstill.
By coincidence, a small airplane with passengers has engine failure and needs a clear track for an emergency landing. The pilot sees the cleared freeway and manages to make a safe landing. All lives are saved. Again the news is widely reported and the public interest in the mysterious Captain Nobody grows to an intense level.
Captain Nobody ‘rescues’ Reggie Ratner
There is a city-wide public alarm that Reggie Ratner has climbed the Appleton Water Tower to jump to his death. Captain Nobody climbs to the top of the tower to tell Reggie that he knows the truth – that it is not Reggie who has collided with Chris.
Newt learns that Reggie’s purpose in climbing the tower is not to commit suicide. He helps to free Reggie’s foot which is stuck in a hole on the rooftop.
Both make the descent in full view of the crowd below. Newt lands first, followed by 280 pound Reggie who lands on him, causing him to break his leg and two rib bones. Newt is place in the hospital with Chris, his brother who is still in a coma.
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THEMES 1. Family Love
• Newt loves his family members although sometimes he does not get the attention he deserves. He makes breakfast for them every day. • Newt, together with Mom and Dad, would attend and give support in every game that Chris is Playing • • •
Mom and Dad are willing waiting for Chris to wake up from his coma Chris loves his brother as they would share jokes when they meet each other Newt always wakes his brother up when he oversleeps.
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He is proud of Chris’s success. He is worried about Chris when Chris is hospitalised. He is eager to be with Chris at the hospital Chris shows his love to his brother by letting him lead the Victory Parade
2. Determination in one's life
• Chris and his teammates shows high level of determination to win the Big Game although their opponents are leading at crucial part of the game • Newt is determined to stop the traffic on the highways despite the dangerous situation he is facing so that he could get Ferocious the Ferret back into its cage Cecil is determined to get the big bass drum that is thrown away even he has to seek the • help of Captain Nobody • JJ shows her determination to correct other people's mistakes by stepping into Sullivan's store and talks to the owners 3. Helping those in need
• Newt would remind Mom about important events and help his mother to find her misplaced belongings • Captain Nobody helps Mr. Clay to find his way back home after getting lost at the Dumpster • Captain Nobody talks to the Sullivan couple after JJ asks for his favour and it turns out he saves the sore owners' lives from an armed robbery 4. Dealing with identity crisis
• Although the creation of Captain Nobody was unintentional, Newt gained much confidence and courage when he was in the costume • Mrs.Young, the class teacher, showed great concern for Newt and brought up the matter to the principal, who was later joined by the school counsellor and nurse • Newt reasoned out with his concerned Dad, who came home and talked to him, after the school had informed Dad about Captain Nobody 12
• When Newt was finally recognized and got the attention he deserved from the local community including his family, he reverted to becoming Newton Newman once again 5. Optimism
• Although he was just 10-year-old kid, Newt was full of optimism • After knowing that Chris only had 6 days to wake up, he was still confident that one day his brother would recover from coma • Cecil felt that they going to have a joyful Halloween celebration after coming out with the idea of creating their own costumes
6. Self-discovery
• As a boy who is small and scrawny in size, Newton is often ignored by his parents and schoolmates. • When Newton uses Captain Nobody costume for the first time, he feels that he is somebody new, somebody he himself has not met yet. •
Newton feels strong and confident when wearing the Captain Nobody costume.
• He is able to overcome his fear of heights when he helps Cecil to bring down a discarded drum from a huge dumpster. He helps Mr Clay finds his way home, foils a robbery at a jewellery store, save a ferret and averts a plane tragedy. • Slowly, Newton begins to uncover his hidden capabilities and transforms into a hero who stands up for all quiet kids and children that people tend to forget about. Eventually Newton manages to climb up the tallest structure in Appleton and save Reggie • Partner, without assuming the identity of Captain Nobody.
7. Responsibility
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As a 10 year old boy, Newton takes the responsibility of making breakfast for his family
• Newton would open Chris’s bedroom door and shout, “Hot the showers!” whenever Chris oversleeps. •
He risks his life and tries to rescue Ferocious.
• When Reggie Ratner is on the roof of the Appleton water tower, and people think that he is commiting suicide. •
He decides to climb up the water tower to convince Reggie to change his mind. 13
MORAL VALUES 1. We must respect, support and protect our beloved ones • •
In this novel, this value is portrayed by Newton, though he is only ten years old. He is sensitive towards his parents’ feelings.
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We also see this value in Chris. Even though he is busyand tired practicing for his football games, he always seem to have time to help Newton with his homework or play a quick game with him.
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Mr Newman speaks carefully to Newton about his costume and acknowledges Capatin Nobody. 2. We must always help those who are in need
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Mrs Young, Newton’s teacher, discusses his situation with the Principal, Mr Toomey. She does not get angry with Newton.
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This value is also portrayed by Newton, who tries to cheer his mother up after seeing his mother’s eyes in tears. Newton is also sompassionate towards Mr Clay. He realises that man is lost and confused and makes sure he gets home safely.
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We must be helpful to others regardless whether they are our family, friends or strangers.
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Newt helps Cecil brings down his dream bass drum JJ and Cecil also portray this value when they help Newwt with his Halloween costume 3. We should not rely on a costume to feel confident of ourselves.
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We must not underestimate our abilities.
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It is important to feel good about ourselves.
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This value is portrayed by Newton. When he wears the Captain Nobody costume, he feels strong and confident.
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However, when he climbs up the water tower to save Reggie, instead of losing confidence and descending the ladder, Newton continues his climb and manages to help Reggie get down from the tower. This shows his courage and capabilities to others. 4. We should not be envious of the success of others.
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This value is portrayed by Newton, who feels happy about his brother’s success. Chris, on the other hand, acknowledges that Newton is the real hero of Appleton. Mr and Mrs Sullivan acknowledges their saviour who saved their lives during the robbery. 5. We must be optimistic in life
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We must face problems or challenges in life with hope and courage.
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Newton does not feel sorry for himself and does not resent or blame people, even when he is neglected at home. He accepts the fact that his classmates and teachers ignore him in school and that not many know that he is Chris Newman’s brother.
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When his brother is knocked down into a coma during the Big Game, he fills his mind with positive thoughts that Chris will be alright.
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When his mother forgets to dry the laundry, Newton wears his Captain Nobody costume to school, though he knows his friends or teachers might laugh at him.
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Although Newton, Cecil and JJ are ignored in school, they respond positively to this situation. Chris and his teammates shows optimism in winning the Big Game although at times the opponent is leading 6. We must be brave.
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Newt has acrophobia. At first, he hesitated to climb the Dumpster to get the bass drum. But when disguised as Captain Nobody, he felt more confident. He managed to help Cecil.
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Novel Captain Nobody : Theme + Evidence, Opinion Novel Captain Nobody : Theme + Evidence, Opinion
THEME : FRIENDSHIP This is shown when Newton Newman helps Cecil to get a big bass drum from the top of a dumpster. Cecil calls Captain Nobody to help him get the drum because he cannot get it down by himself. At first, Newt hesitates to climb the dumpster as he is an acrophobic. However, knowing how much his friend loves the bass drum, he decides to help his best friend and continues climbing the dumpster. Newt, JJ and Cecil are always supportive of each other. JJ and Cecil help Newt out with his costume for Halloween when they see he is not ready with his costume. Their help has led to the creation of Captain Nobody. Newt, JJ and Cecil are always supportive of each other. They also stand behind Newt when the whole school laugh at him for dressing up as Captain Nobody. OPINION
The three friends have shown a good example of friendship of friendship. They do not hesitate to help each other when in need. THEME :
SELF DISCOVERY / OVERCOMING ONE’S FE AR
Newton Newman helps Cecil to get a big bass drum from the top of a dumpster. Cecil calls Captain Nobody to help him get the drum because he cannot get it down by himself. At first, Newt panics to climb the dumpster when he sees how high it is. However, he fights his fear of heights and continues to the top to not disappoint his friend. Newt overcomes his fear of heights when he rescues Reggie Ratner from a “suicide attempt”. Newt knows that he has to tell Reggie that it is not his fault. It is Chris’ own teammate, Darryl Peeps who knocks Chris unconscious. Since the Big Game, everybody has blamed Reggie for knocking Chris into a coma. Newt gathers his courage t o climb although the ladder is rusty and the tower structure is weak. While climbing, his mask gets caught in a nail and rips off. At first he feels vulnerable especially when he looks down. But he gathers his courage and continue with his climb. He then finds out that Reggie climbs the tower to vandalise the water tank. They both end up falling from the tower into a mattress as they descend the rotten ladder. Newt suffers a broken ankle and two broken ribs when Reggie lands on top of him. OPINION
By overcoming his fear Newt becomes a hero. This admirable quality in him undoubtedly teaches all teenagers to overcome our fear. Newt is a good role model to all teenagers.
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THEME : FAMILY LOVE
Every morning he prepares breakfast for his family. He understands that his parents and his famous brother are always busy and occupied. When he notices how busy and distracted Mom is, he volunteers to cook breakfast every morning. W henever Mom needs his help with her misplaced items, Newt will always be there because he cares about mother. Mother is absent-minded. She depends on Newt to remind her about important events and help her to find her misplaced belongings. Dad is always busy answering the phone so Newt always pours him more coffee and gets him a pencil. Newt supports his brother and is proud of his achievement. He plays the part as a spokesperson in informing his fan of Chris’s situation. He is very worried when Chris is hospitalized and insists to be at the hospital with Chris. He also is the one who would wake Chris up when he oversleeps. Mom and Dad also show their love to Chris. They stand by his side throughout his ordeal every single day. They never give up in hoping the best for Chris. Mom even cries when she holds Chris’s clothes. She misses having Chris around.
OPINION
We must love our family members. His love for his brother keeps him hopeful that Chris will come out from his coma. They are the most important people in our life. Without them our life will be meaningless. The love shared by Newt and his family emphasizes the importance of love in a family. Love runs deep nad it leads to good things in life.
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Novel Captain Nobody : Model Question + Answer (1) 1. The following is the novel studied in the literature component in English language. Captain Nobody – by Dean Pitchford
“Determination is the key to success.” How is this shown in the novel that you have read? Support your answer with close reference to the text. MODEL ANSWER (A QUALITY) :
The novel that I have studied is Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford. The statement “Determination is the key to success” is clearly shown in the novel by a few characters. It is undeniable that determination will help us to succeed. Firstly, the character Newt shows high determination in order for him to succeed in helping Cecil to get a big bass drum from the top of a dumpster. Cecil needs Captain Nobody’s help to get a big bass drum on top of a dumpster because he cannot get it down by himself. Cecil insists that Captain Nobody is the one who should climb the dumpster. Newt hesitates when he saw how high it i s. It is such a big task for Newt since he is acrophobic- he has fear of heights. However, he is determined to help his best friend to fulfil Cecil’s dream of owning the bass drum. Slowly, Newt continues climbing the dumpster. This has clearly shown that his great determination has overcome his greatest fear of heights. Secondly, the character which has shown great determination in order to succeed is Chris Newman. Prior to the Big Game, Chris has been training hard with his teammates. The Big Game has become the greatest rivalry between Fillmore High School and Merrimac High School for two consecutive years. In the first year, Chris was only the substitute player. He came in the quarter of the Finals and showed great determination to get himself a touchdown and led his team to the victory. His determination has placed him as a regular first team player for nex t year’s season. During the second final, which everyone is referring to the Big Game, Chris shows high determination and also inspires his teammates. During the last moment of the game, the Merrimac High manages to score a touchdown, leading the Fillmore High by a slight margin. Chris, without giving up, is determined to score a touchdown and has succeeded in doing so within the final 7 seconds of the Big Game. As a result, the Ferrets of Fillmore manage to secure another victory for that year. This has clearly shown how determination is the key to success. Newt portrays the courage, determination and perseverance too as Captain Nobody. For example, he is supposed to look after the Ferocious, the Fillmore team’s mascot. It escapes when Reggie Ratner and his friends cause disturbance until the cage opens. It runs on to the busiest highway with four lanes of vehicles racing after it. Newt is brave and determined to catch it because he is responsible to return it safely the next day. Without thinking of his safety, Newt, runs to the middle of the high way, screaming and waving his hands to stop the vehicles. He could have been run over many times. Yet he goes after Ferocious with cars zooming dangerously close. Slowly, the traffic comes to a halt and at the moment, a passenger plane with engine problem makes an emergency landing on the freeway that is cleared of traffic. In saving shown that his determination has superseded his safety. He sacrificed his life for others. In short, I really think that determination will lead us to success. Newt and Chris have shown determination that can be considered as heroic acts. Newt, by conquering his fear when helping Cecil and risking his life when saving Ferocious. Chris, by giving his all to make sure Fillmore wins the Big Game. They are indeed role models for teenagers like me. We should practice the value in our life so that we can achieve what we have always wanted.
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