CAPTAIN NOBODY

DEAN PITCHFORD

HOTS NOVEL SPM

COMPILATION OF QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS

NAME: ………………………………………………….

CLASS:……………………………………………………

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QUESTION 1: “WE MUST HAVE COURAGE TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS IN LIFE”.
WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE TEXT, HOW FAR IS THIS TRUE OF THE NOVEL
YOU HAVE READ?

Based on the novel Captain Nobody written by Dean Pitchford that I

have studied, the story is about a kid named Newton Newman who is going
through many difficulties and challenges in order to be accepted in the society.
In the novel, Newton Newman’s wants to be known by people. Throughout his
journey to transform from the unknown, he showcases his courage in a variety
of situations.

Firstly, Newt climbs the dumpster to get the drum for his best friend,
Cecil. At first, Newt suggests Cecil to be the one who should climb the
dumpster but after Cecil makes it clear that the job is meant for the fearless
Captain Nobody, Newt changes his mind. Even though he has fear of heights,
he courageously overcomes his fear to fulfill his best friend’s dream. Although
in the beginning he hesitates when he sees how high he is, he still pushes
himself nonetheless for the sake of his friend’s dream. At the end of day, Newt
succeeds in getting the big bass drum for Cecil. Although Newt was still
unknown during this time, but this is the event that first sparked his courage.
In my opinion, no matter what kind of challenges may come, we must face it
with courage. If I were him, I will definitely do the same just to overcome my
fear in order to help people. [P: Personalise J: Justify]

Next, Newt showcases his courage by saving Ferocious the Ferret when
it accidentally escapes from its cage. Ferocious runs wildly, so Newt and his
friends are chasing after it. They chase after Ferocious until they reach the
highway. Ferocious bolts into the middle of the highway and stops. Nobody is
brave enough to go after it anymore. With full courage, Newt steps up to the
challenge and dashes towards Ferocious to stop the traffic just to save
Ferocious, despite risking his own life. Drivers are furious due to the stoppage
caused by Newt. Suddenly, an airplane lands on the highway due to an
emergency. This causes Newt’s brave actions to hit the headlines, although
people still did not know who he was. In my opinion, if we are really
determined to do something, we will have the courage to help us in achieving

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our goals. In this case, his goal is to spend a night with Ferocious, the team
mascot. Newt has to ensure that nothing bad happens to the ferret. It is clear
how his courage in enduring all the challenges to keep the ferret safe has
helped him to achieve his goal. [P: Personalise J: Justify]

Lastly, Newton Newman climbs up the Appleton Water Tower to save

Reggie Ratner. Actually, Reggie Ratner climbs the water tower to spray paint
on the water tank but people assume that he wants to commit suicide because
he has grown increasingly depressed as people are blaming him for the Big
Tackle incident. Newt is afraid of heights but as Captain Nobody, he climbs the
rickety ladder courageously. When he looks at it fluttering down, he is terrified
and wants to climb down. But thinking of Reggie Ratner alone and desperate,
he climbs to the top of the tower to help him. When he reaches the top, he
manages to slither his way to reach Reggie Ratner despite the other challenges
that he has to face. In the end, Newt’s dream of being somebody known is
finally fulfilled when his brave action is once again showcased in the news, this
time, everyone knows his name. In my opinion, for a tenyear-old, his decision
to climb the Appleton Water Tower, the tallest structure in town to save
Reggie Ratner is very bold and extraordinary. This event explains the
importance of courage and bravery in achieving our goals in life. [O: Opinion J:
Justify]

In a nutshell, it is undeniable that we need courage to achieve our goals

in life. I have learned that it is important to be courageous to reach our
dreams. In addition, we can use our courage to help others who are in need,
just like what Newton Newman did. He inspires me to be a better person in life
and more helpful to others.

QUESTION 2: WRITE ABOUT ONE CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL YOU HAVE

STUDIED WHO FINDS A NEW IDENTITY. WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE
TEXT, HOW DOES HIS/HER IDENTITY CHANGE HER LIFE?

Based on the novel Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford, I have learned

that everybody has his own identity. Having an identity is very essential to
create a great personality. From this novel, there is a character who manages
to find a new great identity that totally changes his life.

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 The character I am referring to is Newton Newman, who is also known
as Newt and Captain Nobody in this interesting novel. Newt is an invisible and
an introvert. However, he changes into a boy with a high confidence level after
he becomes Captain Nobody. He is once considered as a boy who is
overshadowed by his famous brother, Chris Newman. His confidence can be
seen when he is being summoned by his best friend, JJ. JJ asks a huge favour
from Captain Nobody, which is to correct the mistakes on the sign boards in
the Sullivan’s store. As a ten-year-old boy, correcting mistakes made by adults
needs a very high confidence level. As Captain Nobody is very confident, he
calmly walks into the store after being convinced by JJ that the job is meant for
him. Normally a ten-year-old boy will flee and never bothers about the errors
as he is lacking of confidence and afraid that they will be blamed for
interrupting an adult’s affair. From my perspective, although we are young, we
still have the right to tell anyone about their own mistakes as long as we have
the confidence in ourselves. So, in our daily life, we must be confident in doing
things as long as the things would not bring us harm and negative effects and
never think we was overshadowed. This event really shows that after being
Captain Nobody, Newt has managed to search for his once lost characteristic
which is being brave. Therefore, it is not wrong to say that he has found a new
identity. [O: Opinion J: Justify]

Next, Newt transforms into a brave person. From an acrophobic,

Newton Newman manages to overcome his fear of height. As we know, phobia
is a fear or trauma that is created in our mind and it takes a lot of courage for
us to overcome it. Nevertheless, Newt overcomes his fear when he becomes
Captain Nobody and he fulfills his friend, Cecil’s dream to get a big bass drum
from the Dumpster as Cecil himself is afraid of slimmy bags. This event starts
when Cecil summons him through the walkie talkie, he straight away dashes to
the meeting place and Cecil is waiting there with a red wagon as he is
determined to bring the big bass drum home. At first, Captain Nobody
hesitates to climb the dumpster. He gathers all his courage after Cecil insists
that the job is meant for Captain Nobody. When he reaches the top of the
dumpster, he looks down and panics as he is afraid of heights. But, he reminds
himself that he is Captain Nobody and it calms him down. He continues to grab
the drum and passes it to Cecil’s waiting hand and fulfils Cecil’s greatest
dream. In my opinion, overcoming a phobia is a big war between us and
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ourselves. The mind plays an enormous role to make sure that we would not
lose in the inner war. Therefore, as Newt is all about to help his friend, he also
wins the war between himself in overcoming his fear of heights. This really
shows how Newton Newman has gained a new identity by becoming Captain
Nobody. [O: Opinion J:

Justify] In a nutshell, being a new person needs us to sacrifice a lot. We

must overcome our fears in order to be brave and throw the hesitation away in
becoming confident. Having a new identity could spark other people to
succeed. If we continue to live life without improving ourselves, how are we
going to be like Newt who turns himself from zero to hero? Therefore, we
must get a new identity that could change our life for the better.

QUESTION 3: SUGGEST ONE CHARACTER IN THE NOVEL YOU HAVE STUDIED

THAT YOU THINK IS ADMIRABLE. BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE CHARACTER AND
GIVE REASONS FOR YOUR CHOICE WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE TEXT.

Based on the novel that I have studied, Captain Nobody written by Dean
Pitchford, the character I find admirable is Captain Nobody which is also the
main character, Newton Newman. He is a ten-year-old-boy who has a brother
named Chris who is also a famous football star. Newton goes to Appleton
Elementary with his best friends, Cecil and JJ.

The reason why Captain Nobody is admirable because he is a

courageous person. This is shown when Captain Nobody helps Cecil get the big
bass drum from the top of a dumpster. This event happens after school when
Newt receives a message from Cecil through a walkie talkie. Newt is afraid of
heights. So, he suggests Cecil should be the one who climb the dumpster. After
Cecil makes it clear that the job is meant for the fearless Captain Nobody,
Newt changes his mind. Without any hesitation, Newt climbed the dumpster to
fulfill Cecil’s dream to own the first drum. Newt carefully passes the drum to
his sidekick, Cecil who is waiting with open arms on the ground. He also
overcomes his fear of heights called acrophobia and as a result for his action,
Cecil gets to have the big bass drum. As a friend, we must help our friend in
need as the saying goes “a friend in need is a friend in deed”. Without courage,
a person will not be able to help others and also themselves. It is clear that
starting from courage, love exists and we will not hesitate to help others. At

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the end of the day, bigger result is also achieved. That is why Captain Nobody
is an admirable character. [O: Opinion J: Justify]

Next, Newton is always admirable because he likes to tell the truth even
by doing so will cost his life. This can be seen in the event of saving Reggie
from the top of the Appleton water tower. The incident starts when the news
is reporting that Reggie is going to jump from the tower as he is too depressed
with people condemning his act during the Big Tackle. Newton who happens to
watch the news shown in the teacher’s lounge feels dutiful to explain the truth
that lies behind the Big Tackle incident. Together with his friends, Cecil and JJ,
they sneak out from school and head for the water tower. At the water tower,
Newton bravely climbs the rung although the condition of the tower is not that
promising. He overcomes his own fear just to reach Reggie so that he can
explain the truth to Reggie. Although he eventually knows Reggie’s real
intention of climbing the tower, he does not overreact but he continues to
slither on the water tank to untie Reggie’s shoelace. In my opinion, this event
shows that in order for us to explain the truth to someone or to the public, we
must give our best no matter what the consequences will be. Based on the
event, it is clear why Newton is an admirable character because he manages to
show a lot of courage and endure a near death experience just to tell the truth
to someone he barely knows. [O: Opinion J: Justify]

In conclusion, Newton Newman is admirable because he has the courage

to help his best friends when they are in need. Apart from that, he is willing to
risk himself so that other people’s life will not be affected. Newton proves that
without courage, life is meaningless.

QUESTION 4: ‘FRIENDS ARE PEOPLE WHO ALWAYS SUPPORT US.’ WITH

CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE NOVEL YOU HAVE STUDIED, HOW FAR IS THIS
TRUE?

Based on the novel, Captain Nobody by Dean Pitfchford, there are a few
events that prove the value of friendship. These events can be shown by Newt
and his friends, Cecil and JJ. This novel tells about Newt and his friends who are
always supporting each other in every problem that they are facing.

The first evidence to support friendship value is when Newt tries to help
Cecil in getting the big bass drum from the top of the Dumpster. After school,
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Cecil sees a big bass drum and he summons Newt so that he can help him to
get it down for him. At first Newt refuses and thinks that Cecil is only joking
and just ignores it. Feeling reluctant, Newt changes his mind and decides to
meet Cecil at the corner of Waren and Kander streets. Although he is suffering
from his acrophobic – fear of heights, he fights his fear to fulfill Cecil’s dream
of owning the first bass drum. He climbs the Dumpster and carefully passes the
drum to Cecil who is waiting with open arms on the ground. Lastly, he manages
to put the drum down and it brings joy to Cecil’s life. This shows that Newt
cares about Cecil very much as his best friend because he overcomes his fear
to help Cecil. I think Newt is a good friend because of his sacrifice to satisfy his
best friend’s wish. We should apply Newt’s attitude in our lives in order to
achieve our goals and also to support our friends when they really need our
help. [J: Justify P: Personalise]

The next event that shows the value of friendship is when JJ and Cecil
become so protective as they both help to defend Newt when Ricky Ratner
threatens him. In the play area, a football hits Newt right on the back of his
head and when he looks up, he sees a big figure of Ricky Ratner, Reggie
Ratner’s cousin. Ricky insists Newt to tell Chris’ friends to stop harassing
Reggie. Then, JJ and Cecil come at the right moment, standing protectively
beside Newt while all the fourth grade boys surround them. Ricky and his
friends decide to walk away after realizing the presence of Mr. Toomey nearby.
If I was there, I would do the same thing to protect my friends from any
unwanted incident. Who knows one day our friends will stand tall behind us
when we really need their support? This event clearly shows that without
friends, we are on our own. [P: Personalise J: Justify]

The next evidence that shows the value of friendship is when JJ and Cecil
help design Captain Nobody’s costume together. Newt could not decide on
what to wear for Halloween Night but both of them came together to help
design a costume. The costume consists of Chris’s red sweatpants tucked into
Chris’s old silver track shoes, a cape, a baseball jersey and a mask. The costume
later makes Newt feels confident and calls himself Captain Nobody. I would
have done the same thing for Newt because good friends help one another in
times of need. [P:Personalise] In conclusion, friendship is an important value in
our daily life. We must keep a long-lasting friendship by always being there to

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support each other in dealing with any challenges. Newton Newman plays a
really good character in this novel and should be the number one role model
for us especially for youngsters to create a better life. As a saying goes, ‘a
friend in need is a friend indeed’.

QUESTION 5: WITH CLOSE REFERENCE TO THE TEXT, WRITE ABOUT THE

VALUE OF DETERMINATION.

Based on the novel Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford, there are several
events that show the value of determination. This value is clearly portrayed by
the main character of the novel, Newton Newman. This novel is about a boy
who gains more courage after standing behind the mask of an alter ego called
Captain Nobody.

Firstly, the value of determination is shown when Newt climbs the

mountain of trash to get the big bass drum from a dumpster. It shows that
Newt is determined in lending his friend a hand to make his friend’s wish
comes true. He tries his best to overcome his fear of height which is called
acrophobia after being convinced by Cecil that Captain Nobody is the only one
who can do the job. When he is on the top of the dumpster, he becomes panic
as he sees how high he is at that time but he feels more unwind after he thinks
about his beloved friend. This is actually starts when his best friend, Cecil who
is a music instrument lover, summons him through the walkie-talkie to ask him
to get a drum that is placed right on top of the huge pale of trash in a
dumpster. In the end, he claws to the drum, pulls it to the edge of the
dumpster and slides it to Cecil’s arm. Finally, his mission to bring the drum
down is successfully done after he shows high determination. In my personal
view, every effort that is followed by determination will ease us in achieving
success. Through this event, it is undeniable that determination can help us
chasing our mission. [P: Personalise]

Besides, we can find the value of determination when Newt climbs to

the top of the water tower to save Reggie Ratner. Although he is afraid of
heights, he climbs the rickety ladder fearlessly as Captain Nobody. He knows
that it is very dangerous to climb on the rickety rung but he still aims his
objective to prevent Reggie Ratner from facing a disaster after being on the
top of water tower. Besides he is determined to tell Reggie that he had a vision

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that Darryl Peeps knocked down his brother in the Big Game. It begins when
the media shows the hot news of Reggie Ratner that is going to kill himself
from the high Appleton Water Tower after feeling depressed since the Big
Tackle incident. Newt is in dilemma as he claims that he is the only one who
knows what actually happened during the incident. Soon after, he immediately
goes to the water tower to talk to Reggie Ratner. When he climbs, his mask is
caught on a nail and being ripped off his face. He looks down, he is terrified
and tends to climb down but thinking about the lonely Reggie, he is
determined to continue his climb till the end. Lastly, Newt faces trouble when
the ladder he uses to climb down is unstable. Then, he falls down from the
water tower on the airbag mattress safely but suddenly Reggie Ratner that is
renowned for his toughness falls on him. This causes injury to Newt but he
feels relieved as Reggie Ratner is saved. From this event, we know that his
determination makes the impossible things become possible. He is willing to
take risks by climbing the highest water tower in the town without hesitation.
In my opinion, we have to be determined in enduring any barriers so that we
are able to achieve goals. Based on Newt’s action, it is clear that determination
helps us to cope with any challenges. [O: Opinion J: Justify]

In addition, Newt is determined to save Ferocious the Ferret which is

Fillmore’s mascot. In this event, JJ and Cecil give up trying to run after
Ferocious the Ferret and said that Captain Nobody can catch it. Ferocious has
already bolted in the middle of the highway. Newt risks his life and dashes to
the highway, waving his arms and screaming to stop the traffic. He then race
with Ferocious all over with cars zooming dangerously close. Finally Ferocious
comes and sits at Newts’ ankle. This event only serves to show that Newt is a
determined person. He will not give up easily before he catches Ferocious. [J:
Justify]

In conclusion, determination is a must in one’s life to gain success. In

order to strive goals, we have to be determined to make our dreams come
true. Based on these events, it is clear that this novel is enriched with the value
of determination.

QUESTION 6: WRITE ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT IS MEMORABLE AND

EXPLAIN WHY IT IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON TO YOU.

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 Based on the novel, Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford, the novel tells
us about the adventure of a child, Newton Newman, a small, scrawny ten-year-
old boy turning into an unlikely hero, Captain Nobody. There is a memorable
incident that has taught an important lesson to me.

The most memorable incident that I remember is the event of saving

Reggie. This starts when Captain Nobody is heading for his lunch break, he
notices a lot of teachers rushing into the lounge and gather around the
television. There is news on television which shows Reggie on Appleton Water
Tower, the tallest structure in town. It is assumed that Reggie has grown
increasingly depressed as people are blaming him for the Big Tackle incident.
Captain Nobody, who knows the truth about the Big Tackle quickly dashes to
the tower. Although he is afraid of heights, he decides to climb the tower just
to tell Reggie about the truth about the Big Tackle. JJ helps him to gain his grip
to the second rung of the ladder and suddenly a policeman comes out of
nowhere. As Cecil feels obliged as Captain Nobody’s sidekick, he tries to
distract the policeman attention while Captain Nobody makes his way up.
When he is on the top of the water tower, he slithers his way to reach Reggie
Ratner. They both talk about the incident and Captain Nobody tells him that
Reggie was not the one who had clashed his helmet with Chris that causes him
to fall into coma. The person responsible is actually Darryl Peeps. Captain
Nobody also learns that Reggie climbs the tower not to commit suicide but to
vandalize it. Reggie also tells Captain Nobody that his left foot is stuck on the
roof. Captain Nobody helps him by untying Reggie’s shoelace and it is
broadcasted through the television. Luckily, the idea works and both of them
finally go down by using the ladder.

The incident of saving Reggie is really memorable as it shows some

important lessons. From the incident, I have learned to be a brave person.
Captain Nobody is an excellent role model for us, teenagers because he shows
a lot of courage by saving Reggie. As a student we should be brave to
overcome the obstacles during study to achieve success in life. Other than that,
I also learn that we must be rational in taking action unlike Reggie who
vandalizes the tower to express his anger and to show that he is innocent. This
kind of behavior would make people worry. Some will misunderstand and
assume that Reggie wants to commit suicide. Rather than vandalising, he could

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consult a counselor to get some advice. Irrational action would not solve the
problems at all. As a teenager, we must think thoroughly before doing
something. [O: Opinion J: Justify]

In a nutshell, all the evidences above explain why the incident is

memorable. There definitely many lessons that we can learn from the incident.

QUESTION 7: USING THE DETAILS IN THE NOVEL YOU HAVE STUDIED, WRITE
ABOUT AN EVENT THAT SHOWS A CHARACTER’S BRAVERY. PROVIDE
EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER.

Based on the novel Captain Nobody written by Dean Pitchford that I

have studied, Newton Newman is a small ten-year-old and scrawny boy, called
Newt. In the beginning, Newt, who is also known as Captain Nobody, is going
through many difficulties and challenges as he has Acrophobia, the fear or
heights.

After reading the novel, the character’s bravery is clearly shown when
Newton Newman climbS the Appleton Tower to save Reggie Ratner. The event
started when Newt is heading for his lunch break, he notices many teachers
rushing into the faculty lounge and gathering around the television. There is
news on the television reporting about Reggie Ratner who wants to jump off
the Appleton Water Tower after feeling depressed since the Big Tackle
incident. Newt is in a dilemma as he claims that he is the only one who knows
the truth about the incident. Newt quickly sneaks out from the school without
any permission and without telling others. However, Newt does not go alone
as Cecil and JJ accompany him straight away to the Water Tower. In my
opinion, if a ten-year-old boy can sneak out bravely just to tell the truth, we
should do the same thing in our daily life. We should also be brave for the right
reasons. It teaches us to be more responsible by revealing the truth. [P:
Personalise O: Opinion]

In addition, Captain Nobody becomes brave as he is able to overcome

his fear of heights that he has since he was born. As he almost reaches up the
water tower, he looks down and unfortunately his fear comes. But he is able to
overcome his fear and quickly continues to climb to the water tower. On top of
the tower, they both talk to each other about the Big Game and Captain
Nobody knows that Reggie Ratner climbs the water tower to spray Merrimac’s
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colours. Coincidently, Reggie’s left foot is stuck and he needs help from Captain
Nobody. Then, when they reach at a critical point, Reggie becomes
unconvinced since Captain Nobody needs to climb down the ladder first. As
Captain Nobody is counting every step down, he is surprised to see Reggie is
also getting his hand on the ladder. Trying to find his balance with his feet
dangling on the air, Captain Nobody loses his grip and falls. However, he does
not scream at all. In my opinion, Captain Nobody really shows his bravery in
every action he takes. He thinks of others first before himself and he is willing
to go through difficulties to save Reggie Ratner. [J: Justify]

In conclusion, bravery is very important in our life in order to help

people and ofr us to face all the problems that occur in our life. We will easily
tend to give up if we do not have any courage. On the other hand, we should
be brave and also be smart to handle every actions that we face. The event at
the water tower clearly shows that Newton is actually a brave boy after all.

QUESTION 8: WRITE ABOUT ONE CHARACTER WHO SOLVES HIS PROBLEM IN

THE NOVEL YOU HAVE STUDIED. USING THE INFORMATION FROM THE
NOVEL, SHOW HOW HE SOLVES HIS PROBLEM.

The novel that I have studied is Captain Nobody written by Dean

Pitchford. The novel is about Newt Newman, a small, skinny, ten-year-old boy
who lives in the shadows of his star athlete brother, Chris Newman. As I read
the novel, there are many problems that appear surround him and he manages
to solve the problem.

Firstly, Newt does not have self-confidence because people see him as
insignificant. This can be seen when Newt only has two friends who are always
with him most of the time. Apart from that, during recess he will sit under the
tree and continues to draw his heroes in his sketchbook. One day, his friends,
Cecil and JJ transform an outfit worn by Newt to impress his mother into a
Halloween costume. In Captain Nobody’s costume, Newt feels protected and
confident. So, he keeps wearing it to school even after the Halloween. Anyone
who sees him in the costume takes him seriously and does not ignore him like
before. Usually when Newt is standing around adults, he stares to the ground
most of the time but as Captain Nobody, he becomes braver as now he can
look straight at them. Besides, when Cecil asked Newt to climb up the

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dumpster to take down a big bass drum, he is quite nervous in the beginning
but when Cecil convinces Newt that only Captain Nobody can do the job
bravely, he manages to do it and there is a sense of achievement. Newt also
goes into Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan’s store to tell them about the spelling errors on
the signs confidently. It is clear that things were very different when he was
Newton as compared to his life when he wears the Captain Nobody costume.
In my opinion, Newt did a good job with making his Captain Nobody costume
to hide his true self. Briefly we must do something to attract people’s attention
and gain more confidence to overcome the problem of not getting noticed. [O:
Opinion]

Next the other problem that always haunts Newt is his fear of the
heights. This can be seen during the Appleton water tower incident. In the
beginning of the story, Newt is portrayed as someone who is acrophobic.
Although he manages to overcome his fear when he helps Cecil to get the Big
Bass drum off a Dumpster, the water tower poses a bigger challenge for Newt.
But, as he is trying to explain the truth about the Big Tackle incident, he is
determined to see Reggie Ratner on the top of the water tower. So, Newt
bravely fights his fear and climbs the water tower by using the rickety old
ladder. Unfortunately, when he is halfway through, he stops and looks at the
ground. He is terrified as his position is too high for him as an acrophobic
person. Astoundingly, he gathers all his courage and proceeds with his
climbing. Lastly, he manages to help Reggie Ratner to slither across the roof
safely to the ladder. In my opinion, Newt is a very good role model for
teenagers because he could face his fear of heights by trying to climb the water
tower. Regardless of the type of challenges we are facing in our life, we must
be smart and try to solve our problems courageously. In this incident, it clearly
shows how Newt overcomes his fear of heights and becomes braver in his life.
[J: Justify]

In short, based on the given evidences, it is very clear that we should

find ways to solve our problems rationally. Life can be cruel sometimes but
being brave and optimistic to endure those problems will definitely help us to
overcome them. As for us, we also need these values to help make our life
better.

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QUESTION 9: BASED ON THE NOVEL YOU HAVE READ, WRITE ABOUT AN
INCIDENT THAT CHANGES LIFE OF A CHARACTER IN THE STORY. GIVE
EVIDENCE FROM THE NOVEL.

The novel that I have studied is Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford. After
reading the novel, I realize that the novel has portrayed many incidents that
change the life of Newt Newman. It can be seen when Captain Nobody climbs
the Appleton water tower to explain the Big Tackle incident to Reggie Ratner.

From the incident, Captain Nobody overcomes his acrophobia. The

water tower poses a bigger challenge for Captain Nobody but he keeps
climbing the Appleton water tower despite his fear of heights and risks his life
to ‘save’ Reggie Ratner from what others believe is a suicide attempt. When he
is halfway through, he stops and looks on to the ground. He is terrified as his
position is too high from him. When he arrives on top of the water tower, he
manages to slither his way to reach Reggie Ratner despite the other challenges
that he has to face. Without wasting time, Captain Nobody calls Reggie’s name
and introduces himself as Chris’ younger brother. Then, he tells Reggie about
what has really happened during the Big Game as he dreams of the Big Tackle
in slow motion. It is Darryl Peeps who knocks out his brother. As a teenager,
we must be determined in life because it will help us to overcome our own
fear. In short, Captain Nobody becomes braver after he goes through the
incident of saving Reggie. [O: Opinion]

Besides, Captain Nobody also becomes the hero of the city. It can be
seen when he tries to save Reggie on top of the water tower. After they both
talk to each other about the Big Game and the series of events, Reggie reveals
his secret about the main point why he climbs the water tower. The truth is
Reggie climbs the tower to paint the water tank with Merrimac’s colours but
unfortunately his foot stomps a hole in the roof and his shoe is stuck between
two beams. That is why he is unable to move. Without thinking twice, he helps
to untie Reggie’s shoelace so that they can climb down together. They need to
wriggle across the roof to the ladder without making a single hole. Sadly, the
ladder cannot take their combined weight, Newt instructs Reggie to descend
only once Newt reaches the ground. As Captain Nobody is counting every step
down, he is surprised to see Reggie getting his hands on the ladder. Reggie

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steps on a broken piece of rung and hits Newt’s forehead and makes him lose
his balance.

Lastly, they fall down together. All the actions are broadcasted through
the media and Appleton residents start to acknowledge Captain Nobody. In the
end, Captain Nobody is hailed as a hero as the water tower incident also
reveals other rescue attempts which has been made by Captain Nobody and
his sidekicks. I believe that every important event that happens in our lives
might be blessing in disguise. The event has totally changed the life of Captain
Nobody, from someone who lives in the shadow of his famous brother to a
well-known person. [J: Justify]

In conclusion, this event is very interesting because it shows Newton

Newman’s real character that should be serve as good role model for
teenagers. On the other hand, we should be brave and also be humble in every
situation because we are merely human. A life changing experience may lead
us to betterment if we stay positive and be optimistic about it.

QUESTION 10: BASED ON THE NOVEL YOU HAVE READ, WRITE ABOUT AN
INTERESTING EVENT IN THE NOVEL.

Based on the novel Captain Nobody written by Dean Pitchford that I

have studied, it is about Newton Newman. In the beginning of the story, he is a
coward boy but at last, he becomes a brave hero. In this novel, I think the most
interesting event is when Newt climbs the Appleton Tower to save Reggie
Ratner.

Firstly, by saving Reggie Ratner, Newt has overcome his fear of heights.
This can be seen when Newt tries to save Reggie who has climbed the water
tower, the tallest structure in the town, to spray on the water tank but people
around the town think he wants to commit suicide due to the Big Tackle
incident. Newt has acrophobia but he still climbs the rickety ladder
courageously because he is the only one who knows the truth about the Big
Tackle. When he reaches the top of water tower, he talks to Reggie and he
does not feel scared of height as he already overcomes his fear. Apart from
that, he also helps Reggie to untie his shoelace by slithering on the roof.

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 Apart from that, when he falls from the tower because of Reggie’s
obnoxious act, he seems to have absorbed all his fear and is able to clear his
mind. This clearly shows that Newt has overcome his acrophobia. As
teenagers, we have to take risks in every decision we make. Therefore, in
relation to the novel, Reggie is saved because Newt has overcome his fear of
height. We should try to challenge ourselves and overcome our own fears. [P:
Personalise J: Justify]

Secondly, from the incident at the Appleton Tower, Reggie Ratner’s

name is cleared. This is shown when Reggie is depressed since people are
blaming him for knocking Chris unconscious during the Big Game which affects
his reputation. When Newt goes to the tower, he tells Reggie that he has a
vision of everything that happens during the Big Game and the person who
knocks Chris out during the game is Daryl Peeps. Reggie is relieved as he hears
the news and he thanks Newt for telling him the truth. Everything is revealed
in this incident and it also leads to Chris waking up from his coma. However,
after learning the truth, Chris does not blame Darryl Peeps for the Big Tackle
incident. Apart from that, both rival teams in Appleton become friends and
start to appreciate each other. To become a better person, we always need to
tell the truth to other people. So that, we can avoid more catastrophic events
from happening. In short, Reggie gets his reputation back by knowing the
truth. We must be an honest person in order to make life better for someone
else. [O: Opinion]

In a nutshell, this event is very interesting because it shows the virtues

of being brave in our life and the real character of Newt. Furthermore, the
truth prevails as I know that Reggie is not the one who knocks Chris Newman
out but Daryl Peeps. We also learn that it is accidental

QUESTION 11: WRITE ABOUT A MORAL VALUE THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED
FROM THE NOVEL AND HOW THIS MORAL VALUE HELPS YOU IN YOUR LIFE.
SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT.

The novel I have studied in Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford has taught
me a lot of good things. After reading the novel, I learn that in life, we should
be strong and brave. This can be found in the novel Captain Nobody.

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 Firstly, we should be brave in our life because it is important in guiding
us to be an independent person and more confident to ourselves. This is
shown by Captain Nobody when he cheats death by saving Ferocious the
ferret, which Newt gets to take the animal back to his home while he already
has a plan to visit his brother after school. Then, he faces Ricky Ratner and six
of his friends block his way. Even though he is only ten years old, he is brave
enough to face Ricky, who is bigger and older than himself. In that incident,
Captain Nobody and his friends, Cecil and JJ chase after the animal since the
cage door is accidentally opened when Ricky and his friends tried to grab for it.
They chase after the ferret until they reach the highway. Captain Nobody
bravely crosses the highway and dodges the incoming traffic just to get
Ferocious. Instinctively, he waves frantically and screams ‘STOP’ at the
incoming traffic and at the same time, a small aeroplane makes an emergency
landing on the highway. Imagine if Captain Nobody did not take the risk to
dodge the traffic, he could still be in the shadow of his brother. The incident
has taught me that being brave is very important in my life so I can be more
confident person. Overcoming a life challenge will eventually lead me to a
brighter side. Besides, being brave will also lead to a positive outcome. It is the
most important value that can be found in the novel. [O: Opinion]

Secondly, bravery can improve friendship. This is shown by Captain

Nobody when he climbs the Appleton water tower to explain to Reggie the
truth about the Big Tackle incident. Reggie Ratner is not a person to be blamed
on what had happened to his brother, Chris. Since he hears the news about
Reggie Ratner sitting on the tank of the water tower because he is stressed and
depressed with people around him assuming that he had caused the Big
Tackle, Newt feels dutiful to explain the truth. While Captain Nobody is on his
way to the water tower, he keeps thinking that he has to tell the truth about
the incident. Firstly, he needs to be brave as he needs to overcome his fear of
heights. He gathers all his courage and proceeds with his climbing until he
reaches the top of the water tower. They talk and get to know each other
better. Due to his bravery act, Reggie starts to put his trust into Captain
Nobody and follows his instructions. At the end of the day, Reggie is saved by
Captain Nobody but unfortunately, Captain Nobody is sent to the hospital as
he suffers some injuries when Reggie lands on him. Since that incident, they
become friends and people from Merrimac and Fillmore High schools start to
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improve their relationship. In my opinion, being brave could also be a blessing
in disguise. One good deed may lead to another good deed. It is clearly shown
that bravery can improve our friendship. I learn that in a relationship, we must
be brave to state the truth although it hurts sometimes. At least, it is better
than lying which definitely will lead into bigger problems. [O: Opinion]

In a nutshell, based on the given evidence, it is very clear that we should

be brave in life. Being brave is very relevant in our life nowadays as the world is
getting challenging and the person who is always being passive will not achieve
many greater things in life. That is why I choose to be brave, just like Newton
Newman.

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