Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who does Donovan want a refund from?
Who does Donovan want a refund from?
ancestry.com
What did Donovan's ancestor do in the Civil War?
What did Donovan's ancestor do in the Civil War?
Jump off a battlement
What did Donovan's mother call him?
What did Donovan's mother call him?
Reckless
What did the school psychologist say about Donovan?
What did the school psychologist say about Donovan?
How did Donovan test his sister's swimming skills?
How did Donovan test his sister's swimming skills?
What did Donovan do to the llamas at the zoo?
What did Donovan do to the llamas at the zoo?
What was Donovan voted in school?
What was Donovan voted in school?
What did Donovan say over the PA system?
What did Donovan say over the PA system?
Who was in the office with Donovan?
Who was in the office with Donovan?
Why was Donovan in the office?
Why was Donovan in the office?
What was the name of Donovan's school?
What was the name of Donovan's school?
Who was the detention supervisor?
Who was the detention supervisor?
Who was watching the security camera feed from the gym?
Who was watching the security camera feed from the gym?
What did Donovan see when he had 'The Moment'?
What did Donovan see when he had 'The Moment'?
According to Donovan, what did the bronze sculpture of Atlas look like?
According to Donovan, what did the bronze sculpture of Atlas look like?
What did Donovan do to Atlas?
What did Donovan do to Atlas?
What happened after Donovan hit Atlas?
What happened after Donovan hit Atlas?
Why didn't the sphere hit the cars in the parking lot?
Why didn't the sphere hit the cars in the parking lot?
On which ship did James Donovan travel?
On which ship did James Donovan travel?
What was Dr. Schultz's only rule?
What was Dr. Schultz's only rule?
Why did Dr. Schultz's secretary call him back into the office?
Why did Dr. Schultz's secretary call him back into the office?
Why couldn't they get a replacement globe for Atlas?
Why couldn't they get a replacement globe for Atlas?
What was the name of Donovan's sister?
What was the name of Donovan's sister?
Why did Katie move back home?
Why did Katie move back home?
Why did Donovan call Katie 'Miss Goodyear'?
Why did Donovan call Katie 'Miss Goodyear'?
Who is Beatrice?
Who is Beatrice?
Who called Donovan down to the office the day after the incident with the Atlas statue?
Who called Donovan down to the office the day after the incident with the Atlas statue?
What did Beatrice do to the Curtis family?
What did Beatrice do to the Curtis family?
Who did Beatrice like?
Who did Beatrice like?
What was in the letter that came from Donovan's school?
What was in the letter that came from Donovan's school?
How gifted did Katie say Donovan was?
How gifted did Katie say Donovan was?
What is Chloe's first hypothesis?
What is Chloe's first hypothesis?
What is Abigail's greatest fashion statement?
What is Abigail's greatest fashion statement?
What has Chloe scored on every SAT test since 6th grade?
What has Chloe scored on every SAT test since 6th grade?
What did Donovan do in elementary school?
What did Donovan do in elementary school?
What three movies are referenced in Ungifted?
What three movies are referenced in Ungifted?
What did Mr. Osborne tell anyone he met for the first time?
What did Mr. Osborne tell anyone he met for the first time?
What special program do they work on in Mr. Donovan's room?
What special program do they work on in Mr. Donovan's room?
What was the first thing Donovan did to the robot?
What was the first thing Donovan did to the robot?
What did Donovan call the robot?
What did Donovan call the robot?
What did Chloe think were the advantages of what she called 'real school'?
What did Chloe think were the advantages of what she called 'real school'?
What did the outside of the Academy look like on a sunny day, and why?
What did the outside of the Academy look like on a sunny day, and why?
What was different about the toilets at the Academy?
What was different about the toilets at the Academy?
Who is the principal at the Academy?
Who is the principal at the Academy?
What was practically Donovan's middle name?
What was practically Donovan's middle name?
How does Donovan describe his classmate, Noah?
How does Donovan describe his classmate, Noah?
Who makes random factual statements when she is stressed out?
Who makes random factual statements when she is stressed out?
What used to be one of Donovan's favorite hangouts?
What used to be one of Donovan's favorite hangouts?
Why was Donovan banned from the mall?
Why was Donovan banned from the mall?
What did Donovan really consider himself as doing at the Academy?
What did Donovan really consider himself as doing at the Academy?
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Study Notes
Characters and Relationships
- Donovan seeks a refund from ancestry.com after learning about his ancestor's embarrassment during the Civil War.
- Donovan is viewed by his mother as reckless and exhibits poor impulse control, according to the school psychologist.
- Donovan's sister is named Katie, who moved back home due to her husband's deployment in Afghanistan. She is seven months pregnant.
- Donovan’s loyal dog, Beatrice, dislikes Katie but shows affection for Donovan.
School Context
- Donovan is in trouble for a spitball war and is awaiting punishment in the office alongside his best friends, referred to as the two Daniels.
- Hardcastle Middle School is where Donovan faces disciplinary action and is humorously voted "Most Likely to Wind Up in Jail."
- Detention is supervised by Mr. Fender, who watches the security camera footage capturing Donovan's antics.
Symbolism and Incidents
- A pivotal moment occurs when Donovan strikes the statue of Atlas, resulting in the sphere on top breaking off and rolling away.
- Donovan humorously perceives the bronze Atlas sculpture as a "reject from The Biggest Loser."
- He describes his classmate Noah in an exaggerated way, depicting him as an undernourished praying mantis.
Academic Environment
- Donovan is unexpectedly selected to attend the Academy for Scholastic Distinction (ASD) but is viewed by his sister as lacking any true giftedness.
- Chloe is a standout student who consistently scores a perfect 2400 on tests, while Abigail is known for her signature white lab coat.
- Robotics is a significant subject in Donovan's new classroom, where he accidentally breaks a robot’s lifting mechanism.
Governance and Facilities
- The Academy is described as a "jewel-encrusted palace" due to its solar panel-covered exterior.
- Toilet facilities at the Academy have distinctive flush settings, emphasizing the school's upscale nature.
- Mr. Del Rio serves as the principal of the Academy.
Humor and Social Commentary
- Donovan's humorous mindset comes through in his antics — throwing darts at a pool float to test swimming skills and declaring over the PA system with a comical twist.
- The narrative conveys a playful critique of academic pressures where being considered "gifted" is contrasted with Donovan's clumsy reputation.
- Jacey, another character, copes with stress by delivering random factual statements, showcasing different personality types within the student body.
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