The Client 4 5 by John Grisham 6

Penguin Readers Factsheets l e v e l E

T e a c h e r’s n o t e s 1

3 The Client 4 5 by John Grisham 6

INTERMEDIATE S U M M A R Y

he Client is a fast-moving thriller set in the United work. Grisham won $683,500 for his clients – the biggest T States. Mark Sway is a bright eleven-year old boy award of his career. who comes face to face with violence of the kind Grisham lives with his wife and their two children in he has previously seen only on TV. He finds himself in Mississippi. In his spare time, he helps children develop possession of dangerous information and is caught their baseball skills. between the interests of the law and the Mafia. Who will get to him first? BACKGROUND AND THEMES Mark’s mother is a single parent and she cannot leave the bedside of his sick younger brother. Mark desperately Thrillers are books which often contain a lot of physical needs to find someone he can trust to advise him. By violence, suspense, crime, gunplay, escape and chase chance he meets the lawyer, Reggie Love, who agrees to scenes – and The Client is no exception. It is an exciting help him for the fee of one dollar. Working against time, story and students will want to keep on turning the pages together they are able to work out how to protect Mark to see what will happen. and his family from the people who would like to do them However, as well as being simply a good read, The harm. At the same time, they help the police to get the Client also contains some serious issues which Grisham information they want. was clearly familiar with in his work as a lawyer. In the book he explores the ways in which the Mafia operate in ABOUT JOHN GRISHAM the criminal world and how this can accidentally affect the lives of innocent people. Where the Mafia are involved, the John Grisham is one of the most popular American powerful federal law enforcement agency, the FBI, also authors writing today. There are over 60 million copies of have an interest and ordinary people can find themselves his books worldwide. All of his books have been caught in the middle with apparently no way out. bestsellers. They are often called ‘courtroom thrillers’, as they have a legal background. Since 1991, he has written This is situation is typical of Grisham’s stories: an one book a year. Six books, including The Client, have ordinary person is suddenly faced with a life-or-death been made into films. His most recent book, T h e moral choice. In The Client the person in this situation is a Brethren, was published in 2000. child, which gives the drama an added sense of poignancy. Should Mark tell a lie and save himself, or Grisham was born in Arkansas in 1955, the son of a should he give the FBI the information they want and put migrant construction worker. As a child he wanted to be a himself and his family in danger from the Mafia? professional baseball player. Later he changed his mind and studied accounting at Mississippi State University. In Many of the professional adults in the book are not 1981, he qualified as a lawyer. He worked in a law firm for shown in a very good light. The FBI men try to frighten nearly ten years, specialising in criminal defence and Mark into telling them what they want, infringing his rights personal injury claims. He sat as a Democrat in the state as a witness. They clearly do not have his interests in House of Representatives from 1983–1990. mind. The prosecution lawyer, Foltrigg’s main interest is his own self-publicity and the success of his court case. Although he was working 60–70 hours a week, he got He does not care what Mark, a child, might have to suffer up at 5 a.m. every day to write his first book, A Time to as a result. The news reporter, Moeller, is unscrupulous in Kill, which was inspired by a case he was involved with. It pursuit of what he thinks is a good story. took him three years to write this book, which was finished in 1987. His next novel, The Firm, published in However, there is one adult who is able to give Mark the 1991, was his first major success. After this, he took up help he needs. Reggie is not interested in working for writing full time, except for a brief period in 1996 when he financial gain – all she gets is one dollar – but because she represented the family of a railroad brakeman killed at sees that she can give help to someone in real need. This contrasts pointedly with the other lawyer in the story who

© Pearson Education 2000 l e v e l Penguin Readers Factsheets 4 T e a c h e r’s n o t e s is too busy to see Mark because he is making lots of (b) knows why Clifford killed himself. money from his injury cases. (c) knows where the senator’s body is hidden. Mark himself is an intelligent boy who has had to grow Dianne; Barry the Blade; the FBI men; Slick Moeller up too fast. His father was violent and left the family to live Chapters 7–9 in poverty. As a result, Dianne, the mother, has to work, On page 25, Reggie says to Mark, ‘Just remember what I and the children find themselves often on their own. Mark told you.’ Ask students to read pages 26–28 again has taken on the role of ‘father’ to his little brother, Ricky, carefully and in pairs to say what they think Reggie told teaching him what he knows. Mark is used to finding his Mark to say to the FBI men. Then have a class discussion. own way around: he is tough and self-reliant. But much of Chapters 10–13 what Mark knows about the world, especially the criminal Ask students to work in small groups and to look at the world, comes from what he has seen on TV. contents page. They should look at the titles for chapters There are some interesting questions here: do children 14–17. Ask them to discuss what they think will happen in see too much violence on TV? Or does TV perform a these chapters and how the story will end. useful function in teaching children about life? Real Chapters 14–17 violence, such as when Clifford shoots himself in front of Ask students to work in small groups. Ask them to make a the two boys, is shown as being too shocking for a child list of all the characters in the book. Then they should to cope with and Ricky is hospitalised as a result. On the discuss which characters other hand, Mark uses what he knows from the TV. (a) they most admire Sometimes this lands him in trouble, as when he tries to (b) they dislike most save Clifford. Sometimes it helps him. But sometimes, (c) they feel most sorry for too, TV can give a false view of the world. ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK Have a class discussion about the following. (a) In Chapter 8, McThune says to Mark: ‘You’ve been Communicative activities watching too much TV, kid.’ Was it a bad thing that Mark watched a lot of TV? (b) Do children watch too much TV? The following teacher-led activities cover the same sections of text as the exercises at the back of the reader, and supplement those exercises. For supplementar y exercises covering shorter sections of the book see the photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of this Factsheet. G l o s s a r y These are for use with class readers but, with the exception of discussion and pair/groupwork questions, It will be useful if your students know the following new words. They can also be used by students working alone in a self- are practised in the ‘Before You Read’sections at the back of the access centre. book. (Definitions are based on the Longman Active Study Dictionary.) ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK Chapters 1–3 angry (adj) feeling that you want to shout at someone or hurt them Ask students to find out as much as they can about: anxious (adj) very worried about something that may happen (a) the FBI bored (adj) tired and impatient because something is not interesting or because you have nothing to do (b) the Mafia client (n) someone who pays for services or advice Then ask students to report back to the whole class. crawl (v) a way of moving on your stomach or your hands and knees cruel (adj) causing unnecessary suffering to someone ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION dangerous (adj) likely to harm or kill you evidence (n) facts, objects, etc that make you believe that something Chapters 1–3 is true or exists Put students in pairs or small groups. Ask them to discuss fingerprints (n) a mark made by the pattern of lines at the end of a person’s finger the following questions. Then have a whole class frightened (adj) feeling afraid discussion. grab (v) a way of taking something from someone quickly and rudely (a) Mark is eleven years old and he smokes. What is your happy (adj) having feelings of pleasure opinion about this? nasty (adj) very unpleasant (b) Why doesn’t Mark want to tell the adults what he pleasant (adj) enjoyable, nice knows? sad (adj) unhappy or making you feel unhappy tail pipe (n) the pipe that takes unwanted gases out of a vehicle’s (c) Do you think Mark is clever? Why? engine Chapters 4–6 trailer (n) a vehicle that is pulled behind a car and that you can live in trial (n) a legal process in a court Ask students to work in pairs. Ask them to discuss the trust (v) to believe that someone will be careful with something you following. Do the people listed below know that Mark: give them or will not tell a secret (a) with his brother Ricky, saw Clifford kill himself.

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Student’s activities 1

2 Photocopiable The Client These activities can be done alone or with one or more 3 other people. Pair/group-only activities are marked. 4

Activities before reading the book 5 1 Find a map of the United States. Find these cities: (e) Jason McThune 6 Memphis, New Orleans, Phoenix. (f) Larry Truman 2 Look at the back cover of the book and read the (i) was an FBI detective from Memphis introduction. Then answer these questions. INTERMEDIATE (ii) was a newspaper reporter. (a) What is Mark’s secret? (iii) lived in New Orleans. (b) Why is the secret dangerous? (iv) was Barry’s lawyer. (c) Why can’t his mother help him? (v) was an FBI detective from New Orleans (d) What shows that the lawyer is ‘unusual’? (vi) worked for the US Government as a lawyer. (e) Who helps the lawyer? (f) Who is ‘The Client’? CHAPTER 4 Are these sentences facts or possibilities? Write F or P. (a) The man in the wheel chair broke his legs in a road Activities while reading the book accident. (b) Gill Teal will be able to get more than $600,000 dollars CHAPTER 1 from Exxon for the man. Are these true or false? Write T or F. Write the false (c) Mark takes Gill Teal’s card because he thinks it will be sentences again so they are true. useful. (a) Mark and Ricky go to the secret hiding place after (d) Clifford bought his gun in Memphis. school. (e) He had taken drugs. (b) Mark and Ricky live with their Mum and Dad in a (f) He wanted to die in Memphis because he was born trailer park. there. (c) Mark started smoking two years ago. (g) Clifford did not write the first note in the car. (d) The man sees Mark when Mark pulls the tube away (h) Clifford wrote a note to Mark Sway because he from the tail pipe. wanted to Mark to help him. (e) Romey is a lawyer who is working for the Mafia. (i) Mark has realised that Clifford told him a dangerous (f) Romey wants to kill himself because there is a body secret. in his garage. (g) Ricky saves his brother. CHAPTERS 5–6 (h) Ricky sees Romey shoot himself. Finish these sentences. (i) Mark is afraid to give the police his name. (a) Ricky does not wake up because ...... (b) Ricky must see his mother when he wakes up CHAPTERS 2–3 because ...... 1 Shut your book. Can you remember who says the (c) Mark feels sick when he sees the newspaper because following to whom and where? ...... (a) ‘How did you cut your face?’ (d) Mark knows about the Mafia because ...... (b) ‘We’ve found the body.’ (e) Gill Teal is not the right lawyer for Mark because (c) ‘Did you see the man before he shot himself?’ ...... (d) ‘Do you think I’m lying?’ (f) Mark goes into Reggie Love’s office because ...... Now match these answers to the sentences above. Don’t look at the book! (g) Reggie Love will see Mark because ...... (i) ‘What body?’ CHAPTER 7 (ii) ‘No, sir.’ Talk about these questions with a partner or write your (iii) ‘I don’t know, kid’ answers. (iv) ‘It’s long story’ (a) In the introduction, Reggie Love is called ‘unusual’. In 2 Match these people with the facts about them: what ways is she unusual? (a) Barry the Blade (b) Mark likes Reggie Love. Why? (b) Jerome Clifford (c) Why does Reggie ask Mark to pay her something? (c) Roy Foltrigg (d) Is Reggie Love a good lawyer? (d) Slick Moeller (e) Why does Mark tell the truth to a lawyer but not his mother?

CHAPTERS 8–9 (v) to give him secret information. Look at these sentences and: (vi) to lie in court Say who is talking. Say who the person is talking to. (vii) when Ricky appears at the door. Look at the words in black letters and say who or what (viii) the court in New Orleans can make Mark talk. the person is talking about. (ix) their trailer burnt down (a) ‘He woke up about two hours ago’ (b) ‘Perfect ... Let’s go down.’ Chapters 14–15 (c) ‘Why don’t you want to answer the question .. ?’ Discuss these questions with a partner or write your (d) ‘We maybe joked about that.’ answers: (e) ‘Now tell me what you want to know from my client.’ (a) What is Gronke’s opinion of Barry the Blade? (f) ‘First we need to know if they know something.’ (b) What is Judge Roosevelt’s opinion of Slick Moeller? (g) ‘The cops say you know more about it than you’re (c) What is Mark’s opinion of the witness protection telling.’ programme? (h) ‘She’s working for a dollar?’ (d) What is your opinion of Mark’s plan? (i) ‘It might help him to help Ricky.’ CHAPTER 16 (j) ‘You’ve done nothing wrong, trying to help that man.’ Complete the following with words from this chapter. Use CHAPTERS 10–11 one word for each line: Number these 1–10 to show the order in which they Barry Muldanno was ...... fear. He happened: wanted to move ...... Although Johnny (a) Gronke frightens Mark in the lift. __ told Barry he was ...... , he gave Barry ...... (b) Gronke goes to the Tucker Trailer park. __ ...... to help him. Reggie and Mark hid ...... (c) Foltrigg goes to Reggie’s office. __ Clifford’s house until ...... While they were (d) Mark goes down to the cafe for breakfast. __ crawling ...... , they saw a (e) Mark stays with Reggie at her mother’s house. __ ...... in the garage. It was Muldanno and his men (f) Dr Greenway tries to question Ricky. __ ...... the body. Reggie ...... towards (g) Mark sees his and Ricky’s photos in the house next door and broke the window. Muldanno the newspaper. __ and his men ...... When everything was ...... (h) Reggie sees that Mark has changed his ...... , Reggie and Mark went to ...... in the mind about talking to the FBI. __ ...... They found the ...... in a (i) Mark sees someone watching Reggie’s ...... mother’s house. __ (j) Mark goes to see Reggie. __ Chapter 17 Chapters 12–13 Finish the sentences: Check the word information in your dictionary. Match (a) Muldanno is nervous because ...... these half sentences. (b) Foltrigg is angry because ...... (a) Diane is very upset because (c) Mark is excited because ...... (b) Mark agrees to go to prison (c) Diane signed the papers because...... (c) Mark is happy because (d) Reggie is sad because...... (d) Reggie cannot advise Mark (e) Mark cries because...... (e) Slick Moeller pays one of the court guards (f) Mark could not lie in court so (g) Foltrigg thinks that Activities after reading the book (h) The FBI wants to offer the Sways a new life if (i) Mark is afraid that Work with a partner.

(i) he has played a joke on Detective Klickman. Who did Reggie phone at the end of Chapter 16? (ii) Mark gives evidence against the Mafia. Act out or write the conversation between Reggie and the person she spoke to. (iii) he decided to say nothing. (iv)his little brother is going to die.

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