Maniac Magee

by

Jerry Spinelli

Maniac Magee: Chapter 23 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Grayson buys Maniac a huge helping of Krimpets. Then he takes him to the Two Mills YMCA, where Grayson lives, so that Maniac can use the showers. Since Grayson’s spare clothes are way too big for Maniac, he takes Maniac to buy some new ones. Grayson questions Maniac about what he intends to do—what about school? Maniac explains that nobody can make him attend school if they can’t find him. Grayson looks at Maniac “with a mixture of puzzlement and recognition.”
Grayson continues to show care and concern for Maniac’s needs. Beyond that, Maniac’s defiant avoidance of school feels familiar to Grayson, suggesting that the two will find a deeper connection as time goes on.
Themes
Love, Loss, and Home Theme Icon
When Grayson asks Maniac why he won’t go to school, Maniac can’t put the answer into words. It has to do with his lack of a home. All the other kids at school have homes to go to. Only Maniac would be stuck having one without the other. He tells Grayson that if Grayson tries to make him go to school, he’ll just run away.
Maniac thinks about his avoidance of school and realizes it’s closely tied to his homelessness—going to school would only highlight what he lacks.
Themes
Love, Loss, and Home Theme Icon
Quotes