"Archy's Dream World" Book Report

1.      Title                             : Archy’s Dream World

2.      Writer                          : Robert Pierik

3.      Time of Publication     :1972

4.      City of Publication      : New York

5.      Publisher                     : William Morrow and Company, Inc

6.      Theme of the book      : 8th  grade boy world and his immagination about his dream

7.      Character                     :

a. Archy Oglesby: 8th grade boy, daydreamer, imaginative, he love basketball so much, creative, and hardworker if he plan something.

b. Mr. John Oglesby: work as a vice-president of  the Ace Athletic Supply Company, an ex-basketball player at college, very wise father.

c. Mrs. Alice Oglesby: five feet tall, she didn’t work and do all house jobs, professional chef for the Oglesby’s.

d. Sue Ellen Oglesby: seven years old girl, has common young girl personality.

e. Paul Stewart: Archy’s best friend, basketball player, has good personality.

f. Hunk Power: Archy’s classmate, not too smart on school subject but he’s good basketball player, has a petulant and rough personality.

g. Coach Murphy: basketball coach on Archy’s junior high school, very smart and wise person.

8.      Setting                         : a. Time: Morning: when Archy’s woke up every morning and

     having breakfast with his family, at school.

Afternoon: when basketball tryout, practice and game, at classroom.

Evening: when the Oglesby’s having dinner conversation, when Archy doing his work at his room.

b. Place: the Oglesby’s house, Rosedale’s Junior High School, street, hospital.

9. Summary                     :

            Archy is the oldest boy on the Oglesby’s, he is on 8th grade Rosedale Junior High School, his father, Mr. John Oglesby is a vice-president of the Ace Athletic Supply Company, and and ex-basketball player at college, he is pretty good at that time and wanted Archy become a good basketball player too, so that day, there was a tryout to decide who will be the member of the basketball team, called Apache. After class, that noon Archy and Paul Stewart, his bestfriend go to the gymnasium for the tryout. A lots of pupil also went to the tryout too, including Hunk Powers, his real name is John Henry, but he’s six feet tall already on his thirteen age, so coach Murphy call him Hunk Powers since he on the basketball team on his 7th  grade. At the beginning coach Murphy choose ten pupils for the tryout, Archy is not included, so he just wait at the side of the gymnasiun, a few moments later his patience reach end line, he ask coach Murphy why he’s not in on the try out. “Oh sorry, I thought you came just watch the tryout, get in then. Ryan on the betas, out for Oglesby!” coach barked. a first minute on the field, he got no chance to touch the ball, he started mad and play rough, at last Archy got possession on an overthrow. In making a beeline for the basket, he veered sharply to avoid a collision against Hunk, tripped and skidded hedlong across the hardwood floor. The ball rolled out of bounds. He stood up, shaken, his skinned knees stinging so painfully that it almost brought tears to his eyes. He’s continue the tryout, but then it was agonizing pain in his left ankle that made him draw in his breath sharply. Coach Murphy ask him to go home and take care of his ankle. At home Mrs. Oglesby soak his ankle on cold water. Its become better than while ago at the gymnasium. The next day Archy go to scholl as usual, at noon he do the tryout again, but coach Murphy didn’t allow him to do the tryout because his ankle still swollen. So he leave the gymnasium, when he walk out, his ankle feel so hurt and he fell, his head hit the bench and he’s unconscious, later on the nurse office, Mrs. Oglesby is there alreade, and they go to meet their family doctor, dr. Scott. Dr. Scott said thas Archy’s has a torn ligament and his foot must having a plaster cast, that mean his foot is immobilized for about eight weeks, and that mean he can’t play basketball until the season end! Immobilized doesn’t mean stop his activity onbasketball, he, then asked to be a referee at the rehearsal. He’s good referee actually, but boys, when there’s no coach Murphy, play very rough, and Hunk didn’t like a good referee like Archy. So he push craig to replace Archy. Archy feel fine, tough he is a good referee, he think. Than he went home.

            Archy was thinking that night, how can he usefull for the Apache, even he’s crutches. He think that being team manager will be good, even that job just take care of basketball stuff like ball, towels and cleaning some area. The next day, after school, he met coach Murphy at the gymnasium, he ask if can he become Apache manager, but coach Murphy refuse because of some reason. Archy thought that the crutches is the problem, so he asked Craig, a 7th  grade boy to become his assistant, and he’s agree! Finally, coach Murphy allowed Archy and craig become the team manager. The first game held on the next day, Apache versus Brookside Bears. Archy take a look at the team’s uniform, it looks so old and fragile even there’s no exact size for every player. The victim is Chris Mamalakis, when he fluffed a jump shot when he reached down for his waist band to hoist up his droping trunks! . Archy’s conclusion about the team uniforms are right. When Hunk lay up, he stretched and split the seat of his pants! Brookside rooters roared with laughter, Hunk retreated to the locker room to hide his southern exposure. Coach Murphy call Hunk’s mother to sew Hunk’s pants. After that embarassing thing, the game is continued, but the final score was humiliating! 63-51 to Brookside Bears. The Apaches had been scalped! This all because that old uniforms, Archy thought.

            Archy think that he should do something for the Apaches facing the competition this season, since he had to use crutches, he can’t play for his school team, and he remember Hunk’s incident when he torn his pants. So, he ask his dad ho much uniforms cost for the Apaches, since his dad is a vice-presiden on an Athlete supply, ha can ask colleague for that stuff. “Its total cost $319,83 discount is included already son”  Mr. Oglesby explaining. “How can I gather that much money?” he think so hard that night. For a couple days, Archy still thinking how can he gather more than $300 in about two weeks? One day, after school, Archy stopped by Mrs. Driver’s room to turn in homework assignment, there Mrs. Driver ask why he’s look low-spirited lately, so he told her what terrible shape the basketball uniforms were in and how badly money was needed to buy new ones. The she started telling him about an old-fashioned melodrama she’d directed as a money-raising project for his drama club. She told Archy that at least it gather about $30 per booth, and a booth is conducted by one club, and there was about 20 clubs on the school, and if one club donate a half or all for the basketball team, then he could buy uniforms for the Apache! That’s a brilliant idea!! Then he thanked to Mrs. Drivers and go home to planning the carnival.

            The day for the carnival finally arrive and everything seems very succesful! There was also a parade for the opening, around the town, with help from others parents, the parade even more festive than he planned. There was a school marching band, pom poms girl, horse and pony. The carnival started, everything was in readiness. Enticing smells of caramel popcorn, cotton candy, and taffy apples drifting on the air drew many of them in to the school yard, where the carnival held. At 4 p.m the carnival ended and everyone finally go home and Archy collect the tickets that can be exchange for money. He guess more than 500 tickets there on every booths! It more than he can expect. This carnival idea is succesful! Then Archy and his dad go home, he’s so tired because of this succesful carnival, so he go to his room, and get some sleep. He put the ticket boxes on hall, near his room and Sue Ellen’s. At the dinner, Sue Ellen said that he made a picture from a paper fragment. A paper fragment from the carnval ticket! Now Archy face a weighty problem! How could he count the ticket for every clubs? He’s so mad. But he think that this is his fault too, beside Sue Ellen is all day home because get flu, and he not put that in the safe place. Now he have to think hard and harder how to count them. He asked Paul to help him, and Archy’s mom and dad help him too. Paul suggest how if they count the rest ticket that not cutted by Sue Ellen, and the rest will be counted, but Archy has no exact data how much the ticket is, so that idea can’t be the solution. Its late already, and they found the solution yet, all they can do is just gather the fragment, piece by piece. Paul is go home and Mrs. Oglesby suggest Archy to get some rest, maybe tomorrow morning he is in good condition to thinking the solution. Mrs. Oglesby was right! In bed, this morning Archy found the solution. The weight! “All I have to do is find out how many whole tickets weigh an ounce, and then I can figure out what my cut-up ones are worth!” Archy explaining. A weighty problem has found it solution! and everything is going on a plan. The Apache is got new uniforms and they play good. They even can beat other teams and go to final. They facing El Porte in this final. They’re co confidence can win this game, since they can defeat El Porte on the quarter competition. The game is run so dramatic and tight. Hunk is kicked out by referee because his rough play, and Paul is out because he’s injuried. The Apache drop! They beated by El Porte, the score is 62-57 for El Porte. The Rosedale’s rooters left the stands quitely as at a funeral, but on opposite side, in the El Prte section, the Dons strect out lengthy as they chanted what was printed on it: The Dons Are Number One! Valley League Basketball Champs!

            The Apaches looked so mourning in the side of the field, Coach Murphy said that that’s not an attitude to show. “This is just one lose, we are winning more game before” Coach Murphy said to raise their spirit. “Yes, we’re got a lot winning to get this far” Craig try to raise Apache’s spirit too.

            At the School Annual Banquet, Paul had been singled out for three awards, and two year letterman. This year Archy is awarded as the letterman, and new award is announced, The Most Valuable Contribution, and guess who is the winner? Yes, Archy Oglesby! Coach Murphy shouted over the microphone, Archy stand and go to the podium, His dad is very proud of him. “Good going, son” Dad said, when he returned to sit down. Coach Murphy said that you’re the best manager he ever had.” Mr. Oglesby praising.

10.  Response/Conclusion: 

            This novel is telling about a dail activities of  an 8th  grade boy, with some case for made this novel more interesting. For me, this novel quite interesting, amuse, and tell us about american education, eventhough this is written more than thirty years ago, but I thought there’s not much changing there, also it gives us two things that must be learned and practice it in our life. First, do the best even you have a limitedness, Archy do the best for gather dollars for the Apaches uniforms, even he is crutches, the Carnival is very succesful. Second, we might not depend everything on our parents, Archy’s dad is a vice president, he might can got free for these uniforms, but he not do that, even try ask it to his dad, but he held the Carnival to gather the money. That was a things to learn, think and practice in our life. In the novel, Archy is drawed as a daydreamer, its a good think to your brain to found something refresh, but don;t let daydreamer bothering your business, especially when you’re in class, you can be a joke for days. That the funny think I thought. I am quite enjoy this novel, the story line is amusing and there’s some jokes, so you won’t get boring while you read this novel. Enjoy!