Mrs.+Frisby+and+the+Rats+of+NIMH

(1) Mrs. Frisby faces many dangers. One of Mrs. Frisby's dangers is getting home. If she didn't make it home before dark, who knows what would have happened. The crow, Jeremy, also faces a great danger. His danger was actually just a tiny string. You see his foot got caught, in the string, when he was playing with it. Even Mrs. Frisby's son, Timothy, faces danger with his pneumonia.Mrs. Frisby needed to get home quick, or who knows what would have happened. So Mrs. Frisby took a short cut through the farm which was very risky, considering the cat, and that cut the distance/ time in half. When the crow was caught in the string, not able to move, Mrs. Frisby cut the string with her teeth. Mrs. Frisby saved Jeremy’s life because if the crow would have stayed stuck, the cat would have surely killed him. Mrs. Frisby's poor son, Timothy, is suffering of pneumonia. Mrs. Frisby wanted to help her son, so she took a visit to Mr. Ages to get medicine for her son. By doing all those deeds that makes Mrs. Frisby one of the most determined, generous, and loving mouse of them all.(2)a- The author is trying to tell us that if you stick together as a team to solve conflicts/ problems they will resolve quicker and easier.b- Moving day is when winter is over and Mrs. Frisby and her family have to leave Mr. Fitzgibbons garden and go back to the meadow or pasture. This is a serious dilemma for the Frisby family because the only day the weather allows them to move, Farmer Fitzgibbon's tractor comes through. Because of Timothy's pneumonia, they can’t leave earlier because the weather would be too cold for him.c- All problems are hard until you have the solution/ key.THINKING QUESTION: Both events have something to do with solutions to problems. Mrs. Frisby's first problem was her sick son. Her solution to that problem was that Mr. Ages provided medicine for Timothy. This problem/ solution has the same concept as when Mrs. Frisby saved the life of the crow, Jeremy, when he was stuck to fence. The solution to the crows problem was when Mrs. Frisby helped him escape. Both events have in common, a problem and someone else helping them/ giving them a solution.The special key Mrs. Frisby needs is actually help from other people. The general advice Mr. Ages and Jeremy (the crow) would give is that all problems are hard, but if someone helps you, your problem will go away/ get better.(3) **Summary of pages 39- 52:**Mrs. Frisby needs to find a way to make moving day safe and do-able for her son. She’s desperate, so she goes to Jeremy the crow for help. Jeremy obviously helped her, since she saved his life. Jeremy told her to go to the owl for advice, since he is the wisest one in the forest. Mrs. Frisby started to have hope for her son and moving day. There was just one thing… the owl lived in the middle of the forest, how would she even find him? The crow, who was very kind, offered to take her there. She told her children she was leaving and then she was off. It took a while, but they got there in one piece. When they got there, Mrs. Frisby had a doubt “why would the owl help me?”(5)In this essay I am going to be talking about how Mrs. Frisby and her son, Timothy, switch parent-child roles. I am also going to be talking about the technology and architecture of the rats' sub-rosa world, and what we know and what we can infer about the rats' "plan."On page 63 and 64 of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of HIMH Mrs. Frisby’s son is still sick in bed, and Mrs. Frisby is still worried about Moving Day and how they’re going to move with Timothy having pneumonia. As Mrs. Frisby went to talk to Timothy something strange happened, that never really happened before… Timothy and Mrs. Frisby switch roles. Timothy started saying how Mrs. Frisby shouldn’t be worried because she thinks that Timothy is worried and that everything is going to be alright. At that moment she had that feeling like he knew that he might not make it on Moving Day.Mrs. Frisby just couldn’t think about Timothy and Moving Day… So she decided to take the Owls advice and go visit the rats. She found there “hideout” and when she was in she was amazed to see that the rats had electricity! There were elevators, light bulbs, security guards, and she was also pretty suspicious… Why was everyone so obsessed with the “plan?” Every rat knows about it and all they tell her that it’s a plan that will save them from going back to the NIMH. Nothing made any sense to Mrs. Frisby all she needed was help from the rats to help save her son…(6) Mrs. Frisby finally understands the strange advice the owl gives to her; what "in the lee of the stone" means. Mrs. Frisby also learns more about her husband’s death.It all makes sense now; what the owl said. The owl told her to tell the rats to movie her house "in the lee of the stone." At first Mrs. Frisby was confused. Then the rats explained "in the lee of the stone" meant where the wind doesn’t blow. In this case... where Mr. Fitzigon wouldn't plow. The rats are now going to move Mrs. Frisby's house behind the stone, but they may have some difficulties doing so...What shocked Mrs. Frisby the most was Mr. Frisby's death. She never knew exactly how he died, just that one day he didn’t come home. When Nicodemus told Mrs. Frisby her husband was killed while he was working with them, she kept thinking "why didn't he ever tell me.**Summary: "The Marketplace" and "In the Cage"**Mrs. Frisby learned a lot about the rats when Nicodemus was telling her a story. She learns that the rats originally come from the edge of a big city, near a marketplace. She also learns that Nicodemus, his brother Jenner, and a couple other rats where captured by people that work at a laboratory. They were caught after they were lowered in front of a market with a mound of food. When the rats where at the laboratory they got injections and took these special testing ability activities. The injections made them smarter, made them larger, and gave them a longer life span.(7)1- At the laboratory they are taught how to read. They are taught by the doctors that work at the laboratory, they would, first, look at a picture and then underneath the picture these strange lines where shown. The strange lines where the names of what the picture shown. While the rats are looking at the word the pronunciation of the word was said, over and over again.2- The rats escape from NIMH shows intelligence, responsibility, and civilization. Their escape shows civilization because of how Nicodemus let the mice join him and the rest of the rats escape. Their escape also shows civilization because of how all the rats and mice stay together. There escape shows responsibility when they get all the tools they need to escape. Also when they choose to escape, they pick a time when they won’t get caught.3- The rats aren't what they used to be. They are new specie, not rat. These creatures are much more intelligent, they are stronger, bigger, and they have a much long life span.(8) **Question/ Writing**1- The rats had totally transformed into different species. The signs that the rats have totally changed are how they are practicing how to write. I bet their other specie didn't even know how to read! Another sign is how they clean up their messes. They clean up so perfectly and neatly. The last sign/ clue is how Justin quickly realized that the mansion they were staying at was empty. The rats had really great senses. The rats also figured out where the gate door was and the light trick to keep the burglars out.2- The reactions from other rats indicate that the rats of NIMH have changed. One clue is how the other rats look at them. They say that the rats, for some reason, are bigger than them. They looked at them with an edge; they knew something was wrong/ different.3- The rats start having a discontent about their stealing. They, well some, started to worry. Whatever they need would have to be stolen. The rats didn't understand why the rats had to live like that.(9) The theme of the book is to be self- sufficient, not to take from others. The rats "plan" Their "plan" could help them, so if they harvest their own crops they wouldn't have to steal anymore food.(10) The rats admired the monks. They admired the monks because they were able to grow their own crops/ they didn’t have to steal like the rats did to survive. The monks are self- sufficient in a way because they're able to make a living without anyone else’s help. The rats, on the ther hand, are hated by most people. That may be because they steal what they want/ need, and for some reason people believe rats spread diseases. The mistake the prairie dogs made was the life style. Their life was to easy, they did nothing by themselves. The prairie dogs got everything handed to them. The rats want to be opposite of the prairie dogs. They want to live without taking from other people. The rats want to create a community where they can grow their own food with no help from anyone else, besides themselves.(11)a- If you take the easy way out there probably will be great consequences. Also when you take the easy way out you’re not working as hard as other people. For example, when you steal something you need, your probably going to get caughtb- Jenner disagrees with Nicodemus because he doesn’t have a problem with stealing. He thinks where they live are perfect because they have running water, electricity, and all the room they need. Nicodemus disagrees with Jenner because he has a problem with stealing, he wants to be self-sufficient, he thinks he’s stealing the electricity and running water. Jenner had it with the arguments; so he left. He left with his followers to find a new and better place to live where they can steal all the stuff they want.c- Jonathan Frisby shows kindness to his wife. He shows kindness because the Nimh injections had 2 affects. One was that none of them seemed to be growing any older. And the injections apparently gave the rats a much longer life span. So while Jonathan stayed young Mrs. Frisby would have grown old and finally died. Jonathan never told Mrs. Frisby about the Nimh, the injections, or anything else.d- The author is trying to send a message that you should do the right thing. Doing the right thing, according to the author, is making things better for everyone else. Nicodemus wants to quite stealing because they’re taking from other people. Also when Jonathan didn’t tell Mrs. Frisby he was trying not to hurt her. Doing the right thing and being civilized has a strong connection. That connection is doing what’s best for other people in you civilization. In a civilization your trying to make the best of everyone working together and cooperating.(12)Mrs. Frisby wanted to escape and warn Nicodemus about the exterminators that are coming to poison all of them. That says, about her character, that she is caring about other people and their safety. Because of this their “plan” must be postponed. The author is trying to send us a message that sometimes things are more important than others.Mrs. Frisbys capture was actually really a good thing. She learned that she learns that some “rats” invaded a hardware store, and that those rats where trying to steal a motor. She also learns that some people where coming after the rats. They were coming in 2 days, she must warn Nicodemus. Two other examples of "entrapment that led to good things is when the rats where captured and put into an organization called NIMH. If they were never caught they would have never learned how to read, and Jonathan Frisby wouldn’t have met Mrs. Frisby.(13) Mrs. Frisby spends quite a bit of time thinking about the rats, Mrs. Frisby wants to escape and go warn the rats about the exterminators that are coming to get them. The author is trying to say, about her character, is that she is very caring about other people and their safety. This means the rats and the plan are in danger. The rats are in danger because in NIMH finds them, they probably won’t get away. Their plan... well let’s say they'll have to postpone that.The author wants to give us a message about goodness, bravery, intelligence, and civilization. The message is that the rats plan, to be civilized, to not steal, is worth wild, and she's willing to help them.The rats are finally moving Mrs. Frisby's house. The rats, first, hooked some ropes at the corners of the cinder block and then started to lift. Slowly, the heavy block rose from the hole. They then lowered the block onto the rollers and rolled the cinder block where they were going to plant it (which was behind the bolder) this project shows specialized labor because they were working as a team, and every single rat knew what they were doing. (14) An important conflict has been resolved. We know this because Mrs. Frisby is happy with a smile. Now Mrs. Frisby and her family are safe to move at any time. At the meeting with the rats, that Mrs. Frisby attends; the rats’ intelligently come to the conclusion that they must abandon their sub-rosa. They must do this because they predict that the exterminators are from NIMH. They must first make their sub-rosa look like a dirty rat hole. Sadly 10 rats must stay behind so NIMH doesn't suspect anything. Their evidence of suspicious character is their projects, the library, and the rat furniture. They evaluate all their evidence by blocking out the tunnels and also they made the cave a dump. Their prediction, they made, was that the exterminators are going to come and kill/ capture them.Timothy asks his mother why the rats are moving away. Mrs. Frisby says "Because they want to." The rats want to move away because they don’t want to be captured by NIMH. They also don’t want their civilization to decay (be destroyed) their wanting to do reveals who they are and what their true characters are. This is because they're trying to be civilized (stick together) and that is what their true character is, being civilized. (15)The overall, general message that the author would like to leave us with about being civilized, especially as it relates to intelligence, courage, and responsibility is that if you use your intelligence to do good, and if you are willing to take risks for other people/ having courage, your being civilized.First: They did many intelligent things to fool the exterminators. First they made it seem like there where dozens of them, when there was really only 10. They ran out of the cave and started running around all over the place. They also made their cave look like a smelly rat hole. What the rats did, that was the cleverest, is when they fooled the people from NIMH to make it seem there was a pack of them.Second: Mrs. Frisby witnessed a very heroic action. The heroic action was when some rat, not knowing which one, ran back in the cave to help the others who were strapped. Whoever that was, he died in there. Mrs. Frisby was also very heroic. Remember Jeremy? Well when he was trapped, and was probably going to get killed by the cat, Mrs. Frisby helped him escape.Third: Mrs. Frisby shows much kindness and compassion to her children. This was when she told them everything about the rats, NIMH, their plan, her capture, their father’s death, and about the owl. This shows kindness and compassion because she knows someday they will wonder why they’re so different than the other rats, and they deserve to know.Lastly: The author wants us to know that if you’re civilized you want to do what’s best for everyone else. Being civilized means that you give everything you have to give to the people around you, in you civilization. Being civilized can be hard at times because you may not get anything in return, or you may think “why?” why should I? It would be easier to be un-civilized because you wouldn’t have to go out of your way for others.


 * FINAL REFLECTION ESSAY**

There are many lessons and messages in the novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH that talks about being civilized, being intelligent, having kindness, being heroic, and doing the right thing. Being civilized means going out of your way for other people, and staying together. Being intelligent is practically making the right and smartest decisions and also thinking before you act. Doing the right thing and having kindness is looped together. You can be doing the right thing out of the kindness of your heart for someone else, or you could be doing the right thing for yourself. Being heroic can be defined as taking risks, for other people. Taking dangerous risks for the safety of other people is being heroic. There are many messages and lessons in the novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH that are about, over all, being civilized. This will be proved by text details from the novel. As I said before, being civilized means staying together and doing what’s best for others around you. On lesson, about being civilized, is staying together and doing things that are best for others. For example, in the novel Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, when the rats where stuck in NIMH they worked together to escape. Their escape shows civilization because of how Nicodemus let the mice join him and the rest of the rats escape. Their escape also shows civilization because of how all the rats and mice stay together. After they escaped they stayed together and created a civilization of their new specie. Another example is that they had a plan to move their whole civilization to Thorn Valley; together. That move to Thorn Valley was actually their plan. An example from real life is when, for instance, you’re on a sports team. Your team stays together, and works together. Being civilized means staying together and doing what’s better for others around you. Before I mentioned that being intelligent, means to make good choices. One lesson, about being intelligent, is to make smart decisions. For example, when the rats are moving Mrs. Frisby's house. The rats, first, hooked some ropes at the corners of the cinder block and then started to lift. Slowly, the heavy block rose from the hole. They then lowered the block onto the rollers and rolled the cinder block where they were going to plant it (which was behind the bolder) The rats smart decision was how, where, and when to move Mrs. Frisby’s house. An example from real life is when you have a test coming up. You can choose whether or not to study for that test. Having kindness and doing the right thing is looped together. You can be doing the right thing out of the kindness of you heart, or you can be doing the right thing for yourself. In the novel, Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH, the crow was caught in the string, not able to move, Mrs. Frisby cut the string with her teeth. Mrs. Frisby saved Jeremy’s life because if the crow would have stayed stuck, the cat would have surely killed him. Mrs. Frisby's poor son, Timothy, is suffering of pneumonia. Mrs. Frisby wanted to help her son, so she took a visit to Mr. Ages to get medicine for her son. Mrs. Frisby did the right thing by engaging in these actions out of the kindness of her heart. There were a lot of heroic actions in this novel. The lesson about being heroic is taking dangerous risks for the safety of other people. Mrs. Frisby witnessed a very heroic action. The heroic action was when some rat, not knowing which one, ran back in the cave to help the others who were trapped. Whoever that was, he died in there, helping someone else. In real life when you’re heroic you’re usually the kind of person who would push someone out of the way when there’s a car coming. Another kind of heroic action is when you help someone with an issue, that’s why people usually say “Your my hero” after you help them with something. The overall lesson is that if you’re in a civilization, and you are civilized, you will be kind to others and do the right thing for them. Having kindness can involve doing heroic actions. Mrs. Frisby and some of the rats would be considered as //heroes//. Being intelligent may help you do the right thing. **All** the rats were very intelligent, if you ask me. This message can help me in the future if maybe I’m in a situation where I need to do something for someone or some organization in my community. Weather its gathering donations for charity, or donating money to your church. What has been proved in this essay has been that being civilized means going out of your way for other people, and staying together. Being intelligent is practically making the right and smartest decisions and also thinking before you act. Doing the right thing and having kindness is looped together. You can be doing the right thing out of the kindness of your heart for someone else, or you could be doing the right thing for yourself. Being heroic can be defined as taking risks, for other people. Taking dangerous risks for the safety of other people is being heroic. Jenner and the rat’s old way of living compare to some groups in ancient times. Jenner’s way of living was the “easy way.” Stealing and living off of other peoples work was no problem for Jenner and the other rats. The romans, in ancient, times, were very greedy, just like the rats used to be. Because the Romans were so greedy, they were conquered by the barbarians. They were struck when the Romans were at their weakest. Just like the Prairie dogs, they had everything handed to them, which made them grow weaker and weaker.
 * Mrs. Frisby and the Rats if NIMH**
 * Robert C. O’Brien**