There's tons of stuff to be afraid of in this book: dads with guns, punch-throwing bullies, enormous boxing opponents, talking to girls… the list goes on. Sometimes, it seems like Manny experiences fear at every turn—we'd even go so far as to say that he can be quite the scaredy cat.
He gives us a sneak peak into his deepest darkest feelings in Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida, and dude's seriously a bundle of nerves. On the flip side, though, he also pushes through his fear on more than one occasion. His fear, then, also shows us how tough he's capable of being.
Questions About Fear
- What are the characters afraid of in this book? And how do they express their fears?
- Does being fearful ever impact the characters' attitudes and actions? Do they change their approach to school or work because of being afraid? How so?
- How do the characters go from shaking in their boots to being super brave? What makes this transformation possible?
- Are there any characters that stay afraid the whole story? How so? Or are there any characters that are never afraid?
Chew on This
In Parrot in the Oven, most of the time fear provides a good kick in the butt, so it's ultimately a good thing.
In Parrot in the Oven, most of the time fear makes characters stay put instead of moving forward; it's a major barrier to success.