Chapter 22
Mark decides to abandon his project of fitting in and place his hopes for acceptance on the trip to California. If he asked you for your opinion of what he should do, what would you tell him?
During the revival Mark again finds himself in a situation where those around him are profoundly affected by what is happening, but he appears to be immune to the emotion. How is this like the experience at the funeral? How is it different?
During the revival services, people who have never seemed interested in spiritual things respond to Pastor Bates invitation? Why?
As all those around him stream to the altar during the invitation, Mark feels pressure to do the same. Why does he feel this?
Mark resists the pressure to come to the altar. Why? Is his response appropriate? Why?
Parker thinks he deserves hell because he killed Peggy and Kristen. Mac says his own offense is worse because he wanted to kill Parker. What do you think?
Chapter 23
Do you think there was a divine purpose behind the car problems?
Chapter 24
Was Matt being dishonest when he introduced himself as Elder Cloud?
Why is it that when you get preachers together, they talk forever?
Chapter 25
Can you answer this question: “I had lain on my back on a midnight hill in the wilderness of Fred, deeply aware that the heavens declare the handiwork of God. The magnificence and complexity of nature suggested an even more magnificent and complex mind behind it all. But I had also seen that nature was cold and relentless. The nourishing rain may fall on the just and the unjust, alike, but devastating floods also destroyed the just and the unjust, alike. The mind behind nature sometimes seemed as unconscious and aloof as a machine blindly churning out results, matter indifferently following the principles of particle physics. How could I get a sense of majesty and futility from the same source?”
Can you really be too smart for your own good? Why?
Chapter 27
Why did Pastor Jordan send back Pauline’s letter unopened?
What did Pauline mean when she wrote, “there weren’t nothing to forgive”? Was she right?
Chapter 29
Was Bishop Ussher right?
Matt says “Deciding if the Bible is true or not is not really an intellectual question; it is a spiritual question.” Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Matt says “If you want to find out if the Bible is true, you should ask Parker Walker. Or Sonia.” What did he mean? What did they have in common?
Chapter 30
Why does Mark burn his copy of “The Mysterious Stranger”?
General Questions about Welcome to Fred
What would you say is the primary theme of “Welcome to Fred”?
Can you think of other themes?
Discuss the use of popular music in Welcome to Fred. Give examples.
Do you think the PK experience for Heidi and Hannah differs from that of Mark? How?
SAT Word list
Welcome to Fred is not only a great read, it also serves double duty for high-school juniors and seniors because it has over 900 of the study words recommended for those taking the SAT. Look up the definition right in your reader and see them in context by clicking on the word.
A
abduction,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Seven
abject,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty-Two
abrupt,
Chapter Nineteen,
Chapter Twenty-Six,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
absurd,
Chapter Twenty-Five
abyss,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty-Two
academic,
Chapter One,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
accept,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Twenty-One,
Chapter Twenty-Two,
Chapter Thirty,
Discussion Questions
access,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Eight
accessible,
Chapter Twenty-One
accommodate,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Seven,
Chapter Fourteen
accompaniment,
Chapter Twenty-Eight
accompany,
Chapter Six
accomplish,
Chapter Twenty-Five
account,
Chapter Twenty-Four,
Chapter One,
Discussion Questions
accuracy,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
accusation,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
accuse,
Chapter Four
acknowledge,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Six,
Chapter Nine,
Chapter Three,
Acknowledgements
acquire,
Chapter Ten
acrid,
Chapter Twenty-Six
acute,
Chapter Eleven,
Discussion Questions
addendum,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
affluence,
Chapter Ten
affront,
Chapter Eleven
aghast,
Chapter Twelve
alcove,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Seven
alien,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Twenty-Eight,
Chapter Two
alienation,
Discussion Questions
alternate,
Chapter Six
alternative,
Chapter Thirteen
amalgam,
Chapter Two
ambiguous,
Chapter Fifteen
ambulance,
Chapter Four
amorous,
Chapter Twenty
ample,
Chapter Ten
amusement,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty-Four,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
analogy,
Chapter Twenty-One
angelic,
Chapter Seventeen
animosity,
Chapter Fifteen
annual,
Chapter Twenty-Five
anomaly,
Chapter Twenty-Two,
Chapter Three
anonymous,
Chapter Thirteen,
Chapter Twenty
ante,
Chapter Fourteen
antediluvian,
Chapter Twenty-Five
anxious,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
apostasy,
Chapter Twenty-Three
apostate,
Chapter Two
apparent,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty-Two
appreciable,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Eighteen
appropriate,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Eight,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Four,
Chapter Thirty,
Discussion Questions
archetype,
Chapter Thirteen
ardent,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Thirteen,
Chapter Sixteen
ardor,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Fourteen
aroma,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Three
arrange,
Chapter Sixteen
ascent,
Chapter Twenty-Six
asperity,
Chapter Eight,
Chapter Seventeen
assets,
Chapter One,
Chapter Twenty-Five
assiduous,
Chapter Twelve
assimilate,
Discussion Questions
aura,
Chapter Eleven
B
benefit,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Fifteen,
Chapter Twenty-One
blaze,
Chapter Twenty-Six
bleak,
Chapter Twenty
blemish,
Chapter Thirteen
bore,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Fourteen,
Chapter Fifteen
brethren,
Chapter Twenty-Three
bumper,
Chapter Four
C
cacophony,
Chapter Nineteen
cadence,
Chapter Eleven
canary,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
candor,
Chapter Seventeen
capitulate,
Chapter Ten
cartographer,
Chapter Two
catalog,
Chapter Five,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
catalyst,
Chapter Twenty
cataract,
Chapter Twenty-Two
catastrophe,
Chapter Seven
chaos,
Chapter Nine,
Chapter One
characteristic,
Chapter Nineteen,
Chapter Twenty-Two,
Chapter Twenty-Five
chivalry,
Chapter Thirteen
cipher,
Chapter Eight
clamor,
Chapter Nineteen
coincidence,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-One,
Chapter Twenty-Two
collective,
Chapter Eight
commemorate,
Chapter Thirty
commentary,
Chapter Twelve
compelling,
Chapter Eleven
complacent,
Chapter Three
comprehension,
Chapter Six,
Chapter Twenty-Two
compulsion,
Chapter Twelve
concession,
Chapter Fourteen
conclusive,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
concur,
Chapter Three
concussion,
Chapter Four
conducive,
Chapter Nineteen,
Chapter Twenty-Four
confidence,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Two
confiscate,
Chapter Twelve
conformity,
Chapter Fourteen
conscience,
Chapter Nine
conscious,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Twenty
conservative,
Chapter Twenty-Four
console,
Chapter Ten
conspicuous,
Chapter One
constable,
Chapter Sixteen
contemplate,
Chapter Nine
continuation,
Chapter Ten
conundrum,
Chapter Seven,
Chapter Nine
corpse,
Chapter Six
countenance,
Chapter Nine,
Chapter Thirteen
counterbalance,
Chapter Two
courageous,
Chapter Twenty-Eight
course,
Chapter One,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Five,
Chapter Eight,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Fifteen,
Chapter Sixteen,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Eighteen,
Chapter Nineteen,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-One,
Chapter Twenty-Two,
Chapter Twenty-Three,
Chapter Twenty-Four,
Chapter Twenty-Five,
Chapter Twenty-Seven,
Chapter Twenty-Nine,
Acknowledgements
creak,
Chapter One
crevice,
Chapter Twenty-Two
culprit,
Chapter Ten
cursive,
Chapter Two
cynical,
Chapter Eleven
D
daring,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Twenty-One,
Chapter Thirty
debut,
Chapter Eighteen
decimate,
Chapter Twenty-Two
decipher,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
definite,
Chapter Nineteen
delirious,
Chapter Twenty-Six
delusion,
Chapter Twenty-Six
demeanor,
Chapter Nine,
Chapter Eleven
denouement,
Chapter Twenty-Four
depression,
Chapter Twenty
depth,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
derivative,
Chapter Nineteen
descent,
Chapter Twenty-Six
desert,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Four,
Chapter Twenty-Six,
Chapter Twenty-Eight
despair,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Two,
Chapter Thirty,
Chapter One
desperado,
Chapter Twenty-Six
desperate,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Thirteen,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Three,
Chapter Thirty
despite,
Chapter Nineteen
determination,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Nineteen,
Chapter Twenty-Six
diabolical,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Thirty
diatribe,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
didactic,
Chapter Twelve
dilapidated,
Chapter Three
dilemma,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Eleven,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty-Two,
Chapter Twenty-Four
disconnect,
Chapter Eighteen
discover,
What They're Saying About the Fred Books,
Chapter Six,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Fourteen,
Chapter Sixteen,
Chapter Twenty-One,
Chapter Twenty-Five,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
disdain,
Chapter Two
disparity,
Chapter Twenty
dissent,
Chapter Twenty-Nine
dissipate,
Chapter Nine,
Chapter Twenty-Six
dissipation,
Chapter Two
dissolve,
Chapter Ten
distinction,
Chapter Eight
distrust,
Chapter Eight
diversion,
Chapter Seventeen
diversity,
Chapter Ten
divulge,
Chapter Five
doleful,
Chapter Seven
domain,
Chapter Twelve,
Chapter Sixteen
dominant,
Chapter Nineteen
dormant,
Chapter One,
Chapter Twelve
drastic,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Thirteen
dubious,
Chapter Seven
duration,
Chapter Fourteen,
Chapter Twenty-Four
E
earnest,
Chapter Two
eclectic,
Chapter Five
ecstasy,
Chapter Two,
Chapter Six,
Chapter Three
effect,
Chapter Four,
Chapter Six,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Thirteen,
Chapter Fourteen,
Chapter Sixteen,
Chapter Seventeen,
Chapter Twenty,
Chapter Twenty-Three,
Chapter Twenty-Eight,
Chapter Twenty-Nine,
Discussion Questions
effective,
Chapter Twenty-Three,
Discussion Questions
effusive,
Chapter Thirteen
eject,
Chapter Fourteen
elicit,
Chapter Twenty-Three
eliminate,
Chapter Twenty-Three
emaciated,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Six,
Chapter Twenty-Two
embark,
Chapter Twenty-Two
encyclopedia,
Chapter Ten
endear,
Chapter One
enlighten,
Chapter Five
enlist,
Chapter Sixteen
ennui,
Chapter Twelve
enormity,
Chapter Twenty-Five
enormous,
Chapter Thirteen
enterprise,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Thirteen
enthusiastic,
Chapter Twenty-One
episode,
Chapter Twenty-Five
equanimity,
Chapter Nineteen
equivalent,
Chapter Ten
erratic,
Chapter Twenty-Three,
Chapter Twenty-Six
euphemism,
Chapter Twenty
euphoria,
Chapter Eighteen,
Chapter Three
exacerbate,
Chapter Eight
exceed,
Chapter Thirteen,
Chapter Two
excellent,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Twelve
excursion,
Chapter Twenty-Eight
exhaust,
Chapter Twenty-Three
exit,
Chapter Ten,
Chapter Twenty-Six,
Chapter Twenty-Seven
expect,
Chapter Three,
Chapter Twenty-Eight,