Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
A tale of Alexander’s comically woeful day, from start to finish.
Summary of 6 Key Points
Key Points
- Alexander’s waking up with gum in his hair
- The school day’s disappointments
- Troubles at the dentist’s office
- The shoe store fiasco
- Alexander’s bedtime contemplation
- The recurring theme of moving to Australia
key point 1 of 6
Alexander’s waking up with gum in his hair
The narrative begins by introducing the reader to Alexander, the young protagonist, who immediately encounters an unpleasant start to his day. From the moment he wakes up, things go awry. The first misfortune he faces is finding gum in his hair. This sets a tone of frustration and annoyance that persists throughout his day. The gum incident is a seemingly small but symbolically significant event that encapsulates the essence of a day where nothing seems to go right…Read&Listen More
key point 2 of 6
The school day’s disappointments
During Alexander’s school day, a series of disappointments unfold which add to his perception that he’s having a ‘terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.’ One of the first incidents at school is when Alexander’s teacher, Mrs. Dickens, praises his classmate Paul’s neat handwriting and picture of a sailboat. She overlooks Alexander’s drawing, which is a depiction of an invisible castle. This lack of recognition leaves Alexander feeling dejected and unrecognized for his creativity, as he sees his invisible castle as worthy of praise and acknowledgement…Read&Listen More
key point 3 of 6
Troubles at the dentist’s office
In the story, Alexander’s visit to the dentist contributes to his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. It begins with little hope for enjoyment as Alexander is already predisposed to thinking everything will go wrong for him. His negative expectations set the tone for the visit, and he carries a cloud of gloom into the dentist’s office…Read&Listen More
key point 4 of 6
The shoe store fiasco
In the story, Alexander experiences a series of disappointments and mishaps that contribute to his bad day. One notable event occurs when he visits a shoe store with his mother and brothers. Here, Alexander faces the very relatable childhood dilemma of not getting the pair of sneakers he desires. His mother has taken them to buy new shoes, but the store does not have the sneakers with the red stripes that he wants…Read&Listen More
key point 5 of 6
Alexander’s bedtime contemplation
As Alexander’s difficult day draws to a close, he takes a moment to reflect on the series of unfortunate events that have unfolded. Lying in bed, he’s left to contemplate the cascade of mishaps that seemed to target him from the moment he woke up. His day was riddled with disappointments and frustrations, like waking up with gum in his hair, tripping over his skateboard, and not getting a seat by the window during carpool…Read&Listen More
key point 6 of 6
The recurring theme of moving to Australia
Throughout the narrative, the young protagonist Alexander experiences a series of frustrating events, from waking up with gum in his hair to being demoted to his least favorite pair of sneakers. Each misfortune is punctuated by his desire to escape to Australia, a place he imagines to be free from the troubles he faces at home. This theme of moving to Australia reflects Alexander’s belief in a utopian escape, a geographical solution to his everyday problems…Read&Listen More