Give a Boy a Gun
Give a Boy not a Gun is a book written by Todd Strasser. The storyline, which is constructed by quotations made by characters in this fictional book, almost mimics and is based on the Columbine High School Massacre on April 20, 1999.
Summary
The main characters are Brendan Lawlor and Gary Searle, they go to Middletown High School and are constantly being bullied by the football players. Their problems get worse and worse as their lives go by and both boys seem to get darker and darker. They take their problems to the limit and having stress in their lives makes everything much worse. So Brendan and Gary bring guns to their school dance and hold everyone hostage for a while. They open fire on some students injuring them badly. Then after a long while a few boys sneak around and tackle Brendan disarming him, while Gary had already committed suicide. Then Brendan is beaten into a coma by the football team. It is not said if he survives.
Characters
- Gary Searle – one of the shooters
- Brendan Lawlor – the other shooter
- Ryan Clancy – a friend of both Gary’s and Brendan’s
- Allison Findley – Gary’s on-and-off girlfriend and Brendan's friend at Middletown High School
- TerminX – Brendan’s screen-name
- Dayzd – Gary’s screen-name
- Blkchokr – Allison’s screen-name
- Rebooto – Ryan’s screen-name
- Cynthia Searle – Gary’s mother
- Emily Kirsch – a former friend of Brendan’s
- Brett Betzig – a friend of Brendan’s from Springfield
- Julie Shore – a friend of Brendan’s from Springfield
- Beth Bender – Middletown High School counsellor
- Paul Burns – a football player at Middletown High School
- Sam Flach - a football player at Middletown High School
- Deidre Bunson – a ‘popular’ girl at Middletown High School
- Ruth Hollington – Gary’s fourth-grade teacher at Middletown Elementary School
- Stuart McEvoy – Gary’s sixth-grade teacher at Middletown Middle School
- Katherine Sullivan – Brendan’s sixth-grade teacher at Springfield Middle School
- Kit Conner – a neighbor of the Lawlors’ in Springfield
- Dustin Williams – a neighbour of Brendan’s in Middletown
- Julia Reingold – a teacher of Brendan’s at Middletown Middle School
- Dick Flanagan – Brendan’s ninth-grade English teacher at Middletown High School
- F. Douglas Ellin – a biology teacher at Middletown High School
- Allen Curry – principal of Middletown High School
- Jack Phillips – a neighbor of Brendan’s
- Chelsea Baker – a transfer student to Middletown High School
- Denise Shipley – Gary’s older stepsister