Essay Questions

How does Eddie discover what his mother has been doing?

From a young age, Eddie had been told by his mother that he was incredibly frail and vulnerable, due to various illnesses including asthma. As a result, he uses an aspirator frequently, which he believes is helping him to control his illness. However, when Eddie visits the pharmacist he is told that the aspirator is fake and that it only contains water. As such, Eddie discovers that his mother has been lying to him, in order to make sure he is dependent on her. As such, Eddie realizes that his mother has manipulated him and has betrayed his trust.

Who are the members of the Loser's club, and what is the importance of this group?

The Loser's Club is a group of children formed in Derry, who all found themselves at some point feeling alone. The members are Bill Denbrough, Mike Hanlon, Eddie Kaspbrak, Beverly Marsh, Mike Hanlon, Ben Hanscom, Richie Tozier, and Stan Uris. The leader of the Loser's club is Bill Denbrough, who begins the club after the death of his little brother.

Many of the members are victims of bullying, as they are perceived to be different for various reasons. For example, Mike Hanlon suffers racially-motivated bullying, while Ben Hanscom is bullied because he is overweight. Some of the members also suffer forms of bullying in their own homes. For example, Eddie Kaspbrak's overprotective mother tricks him into believing he is ill, and Beverly has an abusive father.