Summary

Summary:

Ironman by Chris Crutcher is about a teenage triathlete named Bo who has anger issues. He calls his teacher, Mr. Redmond, an asshole and has to attend anger management classes or he’ll be suspended for a month. Throughout the novel he’s training for Yukon Jack’s, a big triathlon near his home. He meets a girl, Shelly, in Anger Management and starts going out with her. She challenges a college student, Wyrack, to make up a team and race Bo. In the end Bo learns how to control his anger and beats Wyrack’s team.

Setting:

Present
Clark Fork, Washington

Character Description:

Beauregard Brewster (Bo): Physically fit, skinny teenager
Ellen Brewster: Bo’s mother
Elvis: Bully in AM (Anger Management)
Hudgie: Mentally unstable kid in AM
Ian Wyrack: College swimmer
Jordan Brewster: Bo’s little brother
Keith Redmond: English teacher and football coach at Clark Fork High
Lionel Serbousek: Journalism teacher at Clark Fork High and swim coach for Clark Fork University
Lucas Brewster: Bo’s controlling dad, owns a sporting goods store
Noboru Nakatani: Japanese cowboy, in charge of the anger management group
Shelly: Buff girl in AM
Shuja: Black kid in AM

Character Development:

Bo: Learns to control his anger and tries to resolve his problems with his dad
Elvis: Realizes that he is becoming more like his dad and tries to be nicer
Ian Wyrack: Lost to Bo in the triathlon
Lionel Serbousek: Helps Bo with some of his personal problems
Lucas Brewster: Realizes that he may be wrong in controlling his son's life and tries to be less strict
Noboru Nakatani: Goes back to Texas to deal with his children's deaths