47 pages • 1 hour read
Stephan PastisMistakes Were Made
Stephan PastisFiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Middle Grade | Published in 2013A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Being Oneself While Being Open to Improving
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of bullying.
Timmy Failure is a protagonist who somehow unwittingly strikes a balance between being himself while also being open to improving, though it takes time for him to learn the importance of this balance. Timmy constantly makes mistakes both in his daily life and in his detective work, but he sees himself as a top detective and a model son. He never stops believing in who he is or what he does, even when everything starts to go wrong. Timmy also enthusiastically embraces his own unique perspective and never allows himself to be like others simply for the sake of fitting in or being liked. This is shown in particular through his refusal to play kickball with the other kids at recess when he would much rather hang out with his imaginary polar bear. Timmy values his imagination, and his imagination goes hand in hand with his unquestioning confidence in himself.
Timmy’s evolution as a character is subtle. In terms of growth, he sometimes moves backward before moving forward again. For example, although he eventually confesses his lies to his mom, he also decides to hop in Crispin’s car and play around with it. Timmy also grows in his understanding of his friendship with Rollo—as the story develops, he realizes that he should be a better friend to Rollo and apologizes for everything he put him through, like failing a test on purpose even though it would affect Rollo’s grades. Over the course of the novel, Timmy slowly becomes aware that his actions do have an impact and can harm others if he isn’t considerate. He does this on his own time, never through force, which is why Crispin’s efforts to push Timmy to grow are futile at best. Although Timmy’s belief in himself is central to his character, he gradually learns that he can celebrate his vivid imagination (and his buddy Total) without compromising his real life obligations. These experiences, and the new perspective they engender, become part of Timmy’s experience of gradually growing up and maturing.
Timmy never fully resolves his flaws or finds the perfect version of himself, but he does make gradual improvements to his character. While he might claim to have made these improvements on his own, the people in his life also play a part in pushing him to improve. Timmy’s mother wants him to do better in school and doesn’t mind if he plays pretend, as long as he doesn’t neglect his work. Rollo wants Timmy to be more realistic and open to new ideas, and Molly pushes Timmy to learn tolerance and patience for people who may not be his type. With the help of his mom and his friends, Timmy learns how to remain authentically himself while also taking other points of view into account. Through his example, the book shows the importance of balancing staying true to oneself with being open to other perspectives.
The Destructive Power of Lies
Timmy Failure’s biggest failure is hard to pinpoint because he has many flaws, but his tendency to lie to others (especially his mother) is perhaps the most detrimental. Timmy is an imperfect and all-too-human character, one who constantly toes the line between moral and immoral. At the heart of Timmy’s lying is an undeniable self-centeredness that motivates most of his actions. Timmy tends to think only of himself, or if he does think of others, it is in a skewed way; for example, he tells himself that by lying to his mother about the problems he is having, he can prevent her from worrying and just solve them on his own. Timmy often forgets that his age, skillset, and resources sometimes prevent him from being able to solve his problems.
Timmy’s first lie is a lie of omission, in which he refrains from telling his mother that he has been using her precious Segway for detective work. Timmy’s mother doesn’t make a lot of money, and her Segway is her one luxury in life. It gives her an escape from her stress and is something that is just for her. When he lies to his mother about taking and then losing the Segway, Timmy compromises his morals for the sake of his business, knowing full well that he should not be lying to or deceiving her. Further, he not only betrays her trust but also takes away her source of stress relief. Timmy thinks only of himself at this moment, as he is preoccupied with solving cases and sabotaging Corrina Corrina.
Timmy’s next lie occurs when he tells his mother that he loaned the Segway to Molly for a school play. He does this to buy himself time to find the Segway and bring it home unnoticed, but in reality, he just complicates the situation and traps himself into further lies. His cascade of lies comes to a head when he ends up having to invite his mother to a play that goes horribly wrong. On the day of the play, many of the issues Timmy has been hiding come to light, especially the truth about the missing Segway. Timmy’s lies only take him so far, and then he is left to face the consequences of his actions. The result is that Timmy’s mother is deeply upset with him, and Molly is blamed for things she never did. Timmy’s lying comes back to haunt him and those around him, and he eventually has to face how his actions have hurt others and atone for them. Timmy’s adventures and their repercussions illustrate the consequences of lies and their effects on relationships, consequences that Timmy finally begins to see at the end of the book.
The Unbreakable Bond Between Mother and Son
Timmy and his mother have a complicated but close and important bond. Timmy’s mother is a single mom who works hard to provide for her son, but no matter how hard she works, it never seems to be enough. She is always stressed and thinking about how she is going to be able to afford to pay her bills. Timmy is clueless about most things in his life, but he always notices when his mother is worried about something: “At home that night, my detective’s intuition tells me something is wrong. I’ve seen my mother pass in front of the house eight times on her Segway. The previous record was six. So I know it is serious” (38). Throughout the novel and all of Timmy’s adventures, his relationship with his mother remains constant as they offer each other love and support in difficult circumstances.
Timmy puts a great deal of strain on his mother and their relationship in general. He lies often and constantly finds himself getting into some sort of trouble or mischief. Timmy also neglects his schooling, which gives his mother yet another issue to worry about. However, he also knows how to cheer his mother up and help her feel strong again. When he sees the bills sitting on the kitchen table, Timmy tells his mother they are “trifling” and that he will be able to afford to pay them in no time. Timmy’s mother appreciates his optimism and his concern, even though she knows that his lofty goal is virtually impossible. In return, Timmy’s mother lets him be himself and doesn’t mind reading stories designed to make an imaginary polar bear happy or lending Timmy her closet to conduct his detective work.
However, their relationship is tested by Timmy’s lies and the loss of the Segway. When the truth comes out, Timmy’s mother finally loses patience with him; the financial stress she is under doesn’t leave her much tolerance for Timmy’s lies and missteps. Yet once again, Timmy and his mother bond together in the face of conflict: When she sees how cruel Crispin is toward Timmy, Timmy’s mom is reminded of how much she loves her son and his wild imagination. She embraces Timmy’s authentic self and removes her restrictions on his polar bear and his detective agency, allowing him to be himself, albeit with some new boundaries and expectations put in place. Although their relationship is tested over the course of the novel, Timmy and his mother show true understanding, support, and love for each other throughout, highlighting the depth and resilience of their bond.
Unlock all 47 pages of this Study GuidePlus, gain access to 9,150+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features: