The Wednesday Wars

by

Gary Schmidt

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Wednesday Wars makes teaching easy.
Mr. Goldman is the owner of Goldman's Best Bakery and an avid fan of Shakespeare. He recruits Holling to play Ariel in his production of The Tempest during the Holiday Extravaganza, and he regularly dismisses Holling's requests to wear something other than yellow tights with white feathers on the butt. Mr. Goldman insists that playing a role in a Shakespeare play is a privilege that he never had as a junior high student—he was too busy working to feed his family to even go to school.
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Mr. Goldman Character Timeline in The Wednesday Wars

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Goldman appears in The Wednesday Wars. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
November
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading and Learning Theme Icon
...Bakery, Holling puts $2.45 on the counter and asks to buy 22 cream puffs. When Mr. Goldman reminds him he needs almost $3 more to buy that many cream puffs, Holling offers... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading and Learning Theme Icon
...tights with white feathers in an unmentionable place. Holling tries to refuse the part, but Mr. Goldman insists. Later, when Holling tries to ask his dad for an advance on his allowance,... (full context)
December
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
...spirit either, given that he cannot get out of playing Ariel in the Holiday Extravaganza. Mr. Goldman insists that the part is an honor. Finally, Holling shows his yellow tights to his... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Reading and Learning Theme Icon
After the applause, Holling tries to tell Mr. Goldman again that he can't wear the tights because he looks like a fairy. Mr. Goldman... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading and Learning Theme Icon
...looks at him, and says that it's not good to be a warrior. Holling asks Mr. Goldman at the next rehearsal if Ariel could wear armor since he's a warrior, but Mr.... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Reading and Learning Theme Icon
The next Wednesday, Mrs. Baker tells Holling that Mr. Goldman said that Holling is doing well, but needs to work on interpreting the lines. She... (full context)
Coming of Age Theme Icon
Family Theme Icon
Reading and Learning Theme Icon
When the curtain falls, Holling runs backstage to the dressing room and finds it locked. Mr. Goldman is still onstage, though Holling finds Prospero's blue floral cape in the wings. Holling grabs... (full context)
Family Theme Icon
...back to the theater. Holling goes to retrieve his clothes and feels unable to tell Mr. Goldman where he's been and what just transpired. He leaves his tights in a locker and... (full context)