1. President Cleveland, Where Are You?
Author: Robert Cormier
page 382

2. Historical Note
watch CTN clip
The Great Depression began in the United States in It was characterized by panic, financial collapse, and great unemployment.
Grover Cleveland was the twenty-second and twenty-fourth president of the United States. In 1894, a year after Cleveland was reelected to the office, the United States suffered a major economic panic (Depression of ). There were four million unemployed people in the United States, and the country was virtually bankrupt.
CRITICAL THINKING: Why would a card company change the type of cards from cowboys to U.S. presidents considering the time period?

3. Summary:
During the Great Depression, Jerry and his friends collect trading cards. To promote a series of cards featuring U.S. presidents, the card company offers a special baseball glove to the first boy who completes a set. Soon all the boys are looking for the last card – President Cleveland. At home, Jerry’s older brother shares his problems: he is in love, and now the girl has invited him to a dance. He can’t afford the new shoes and corsage he needs for the dance. He also informs Jerry that there are President Cleveland cards available on the North Side. Jerry gets one, but instead of using it to get the mitt, he sells it for five dollars to allow his brother to go to the dance.

4. Character Traits Workbook p.58
Important Trait
Example from story
Jerry
good-hearted
Jerry sells the last President card and gives the money to his brother.
Armand
responsible
Armand collects money from the family members and buys a present for their father; he works and gives money to the family.
Jerry’s father
big, loud
generous
Jerry’s father has a booming laugh; he spends money from his overtime work on his children.
Rollie Tremaine
rich, spoiled
When Rollie can’t collect the cards he needs, he says he’ll just buy the glove.
Roger Lussier
a good friend
He believes Jerry and accepts that Jerry had a real “emergency” even though Rollie ended up winning the contest among the boys.

5. Conflict: events of the plot reveal a problem
Elements of a Story
Plot: the sequence of events in a story. Each event causes or leads to the next.
Exposition: it is the event in the plot that reveals the situation and character.
Conflict: events of the plot reveal a problem
Rising Action: tension builds through as the events caused by the problem develop and sharpen the problem
Climax: when everything comes to a head; the point of greatest interest and emotion. Then the story falls off and the tension drops.
Resolution: shows how the problem is solved

6. climax rising action conflict resolution exposition
Use the graphic to sum up the main event that occurs at each stage of the plot of “president cleveland, where are you?”
climax
rising action
conflict
resolution
exposition