From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Much of the novel’s plot centers on the keeping and uncovering of secrets, including Claudia and Jamie’s efforts to remain hidden in the museum and the secret of Angel’s history and origin. Toward the end of the novel, Mrs. Frankweiler discusses secrets and their value, suggesting that some secrets can provide a lifetime of satisfaction. She even shares some, but not all, of her secrets with Claudia and Jamie, even as she invites them to share theirs with her. In this context, what do secrets have to do with Claudia’s quest to understand herself and return home a changed person? Are secrets a cause of her change, or just a sign of it, and how do they connect with Konigsburg’s discussion of Self-Discovery Through Adventure?

Teaching Suggestion: To help students connect the dots between keeping secrets and personal change, it may be helpful to give them time to reflect on their own experiences with secrets, however simple or commonplace those secrets may be. They can then compare their own experiences with the events in the book to answer the prompt above. Another way to approach the question would involve linking secrets to fun and play, which connects in turn with adventure.