From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Why is this story written as though it's being told (or addressed) to someone named Saxonberg anyway? That's not our name…
  2. Claudia sighs and moans about why she's running away, but she never really gives the reader a real reason. Having read the book, why would you say she ran away? And did she find what she was looking for? 
  3. Do you think that Claudia and Jamie act like real kids? What makes them unique? What makes them normal?
  4. Claudia's a total snob, so it would make sense that she'd want to run away to the Met. But besides the fancy things, what makes her pick the museum? How is it different from her home environment? 
  5. Pssst. Can you tell us something? What's the role of secrets in the story, and how does the idea play out for Claudia and Mrs. Frankweiler? 
  6. Would this whole story be different if it was told from Claudia or Jamie's perspective instead of Mrs. Frankweiler's? 
  7. How does the relationship between Claudia and Jamie change throughout the book? They're still bickering siblings, but something's different, right?