Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing

For boys like Jimmy and Peter, who are growing up in New York City apartments, Central Park provides a haven of escape to the natural world. As Peter notes, he has never seen tree leaves changing color in autumn, because New York City trees do not do so as a result of air pollution. Peter and Jimmy enjoy meeting at a particular rock outcropping after school day to play “secret agent”; they are appalled to find their bossy classmate, Sheila Tubman, interloping on their private space on one occasion.

While Central Park provides a venue for outdoor play and a degree of freedom, Peter is not allowed to enter the park alone due to the presence of “dope-pushers.” Both Jimmy and Peter’s father were mugged in this area, which Peter mentions rather nonchalantly. In this sense, the park, like the natural world itself, represents both beauty and potential danger.

The transportation project is an important assignment for Peter’s fourth-grade class; it involves preparing a poster and booklet as well as an oral report. Peter and Jimmy partner with Sheila, although reluctantly, because they all live in the same neighborhood and can meet after school to work together.

Peter and Jimmy labor over the creation of their poster, which includes a glitter-coated drawing of a plane. Their work, as well as materials including Magic Markers, is stored in a box underneath Peter’s bed for safekeeping. Although Fudge is forbidden to enter Peter’s room, he gains access and scribbles on the poster. Peter is hurt and angry that his mother allowed this to happen. Subsequently, his mother apologizes to him for this transgression, and his father installs a lock on the boy’s bedroom door to keep Fudge from gaining entry. This incident foreshadows a more serious incident—one that is far more hurtful to Peter—that occurs when Fudge breeches the chain lock and inadvertently causes Dribble’s demise. It also further implies that Fudge’s antics are misguided acts of hero worship; perhaps Fudge scribbled on the poster to contribute to the project, which means so much to Peter that it has monopolized his time and focus.

When Mrs. Hatcher leaves town to see her sister, Mr. Hatcher brings his sons to his advertising agency office. The client who owns the lucrative Toddle-Bike account sees Fudge and demands that the child star in his company’s television commercial, and chaos of all varieties ensues. Peter, who briefly fantasized about appearing in the commercial himself, is reinforced in his thinking that Fudge is the constant recipient of time and attention. Mr. Hatcher, who is somewhat displeased with the idea of Fudge participating in this process, rightfully anticipates that the child may prove too uncooperative. Conversely, Mr. Vincent client is overtly threatening him, declaring that he will move his account from the ad agency if Fudge does not star in the commercial.

While Mr. Hatcher generally appeases Fudge less often than his wife, he finds himself in a dilemma. As even nine-year-old Peter realizes, it would be difficult for him to lose another account due to Fudge’s behavior. The child’s antics already cost Mr. Hatcher another account, the Juicy-O company, several months earlier. Consequently, when Fudge refuses to ride the Toddle-Bike in front of the camera, Mr. Hatcher asks Peter to take the bike away and ride it himself so that Fudge will imitate his behavior. This epitomizes the unequal treatment and manipulation that Peter resents, and he reflects, “They were going to use me to get Fudge to do what they wanted him to” (95).