The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Plot Diagram

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Figurative Language

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Characters

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Character Development

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Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

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Essential Questions for The Wednesday Wars

1. How can political events happening far away affect our home communities?
2. How does Holling grow and change over the course of seventh grade?
3. What role do books (and plays) play in Holling’s life?
4. What does it mean to be a true friend to someone?
5. How can we use defeat to grow?

Allusions to Shakespeare

Most middle school readers will likely be unfamiliar with the Shakespeare Holling repeatedly alludes to. The book provides some context for Holling’s reflections on famous lines (such as “The quality of mercy is not strained”), but additional background may provide opportunities for reading support or enrichment activities. The list below contains the plays that Holling reads through the year.

• The Merchant of Venice
• The Tempest
• Romeo and Juliet
• Macbeth
• Julius Caesar
• Hamlet
• Much Ado about Nothing

In addition to the Shakespeare, young readers may need background on the history of the 1960s. The Vietnam War is in full swing when the novel begins, and issues like the draft, war protests, and political leaders come up repeatedly. The Battle of Kesanh is given particular prominence in the book, as Mrs. Baker’s husband goes missing in action during this five-month siege. Other cultural realities of the sixties make their way into the story as well, from the hippie movement to Walter Cronkite and the CBS Evening News. Consider previewing the topics below with your students before reading The Wednesday Wars.

• Vietnam War
• Student Protests at Columbia University and UC Berkeley
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Flower Children
• Robert Kennedy
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• The Cold War

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