The Body of Christopher Creed

2000 young adult novel by Carol Plum-Ucci

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The Body of Christopher Creed is a young adult novel by Carol Plum-Ucci. It tells the story of a high school student whose life is unravelled when he tries to solve the mystery of a classmate's sudden disappearance. The novel won the Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award.^[1]

Plot summary

Torey Adams moves to begins his senior year at Rothborne boarding school, while struggling with the recent disappearance of his former classmate Christopher Creed.

At school, Torey deals with friendship struggles and romance while trying to solve Christopher's disappearance.

As Torey learns more about Christopher, he realizes things are not as they seem.

Characters

Victor "Torey" Adams, a senior at the fictional Rothborne, a boarding school, is the narrator of the novel. What begins as a mild interest in Chris's disappearance turns into a desire to help solve the mystery of Chris's disappearance. Torey is conflicted throughout the book between his friends and those who want to help find Chris. At the beginning of the novel, Torey is described as "your basic guy" and wears his hair in a ponytail.^[2]
Bo Richardson, a tough rebel from the boondocks of Steepleton has "a good guy streak that [is] just as wide, probably wider, than his bad guy streak."^[3] He has a mean exterior but cares deeply for his girlfriend Ali McDermott, her brother Greg, and his own siblings. Bo eventually takes a liking to Torey despite their differences throughout the story. Bo is infuriated with Mrs. Creed for accusing him of the murder of her son and is determined to prove his innocence.
Christopher "Chris" Creed, the "weird guy" from Steepleton, vanishes after sending an e-mail to Glen Ames, the principal, hinting at the possibility that he has run away or taken his own life.
Isabella Karzden, a laid-back waitress, with whom Chris had an imaginary relationship. She admits to helping Chris lose his virginity but makes it clear when introduced in the novel that she did not have a relationship with him.
Sylvia Creed, Chris Creed’s mother, who accuses Bo Richardson of murdering her son.
- Alex Arrington, Torey Adam's best friend and Renee Bowen’s boyfriend. He plays football and is in a band with Torey. He is also very smart and tech savvy, having hacked into school files and discovering the email Christopher Creed sent to the principal before his disappearance. During the novel, he begins to believe that Chris is dead and says to Torey that "{You and Bo] shot him in the woods".^[4] This causes an argument which leads Alex and Torey’s friendship to collapse at the end of the novel.
Leandra, a cute, cheerleader with "long reddish hair" who is Torey Adam's girlfriend.^[5] She goes to the "Pentecostal church every Sunday," but by "Monday [she is] calling people "dirtbag" and "turbo slut".^[6] Later in the novel, she and Torey break up because of his involvement with the Christopher Creed case and his newfound friendship with Ali McDermott.
Chief Officer Bowen, the Chief of the Steepleton police force, and Renee Bowen’s father. He initially comes off as a bully to Bo Richardson, Torey, and Ali. Allegedly hit 'Bo' in the interrogation room causing him to resign from his job. It is revealed by Bo that he has been having an affair with Mrs McDermott, much to Renee’s horror.
Dr. Fahdi, the appointed psychiatrist that is hired to help Torey Adams after seeing Bob Haines’ body quickly decompose. He urged Torey to write his story and try to find Chris Creed.
Mrs. McDermott, a mother to Ali and Greg McDermott, who had relationships with many men including the Chief of Police, which caused her divorce.
Leo, a senior who goes to school with Torey and doesn’t care about privacy or personal space. He is "just a little sideways"^[7] as described by Torey.
Cartright, a senior prankster who is Torey Adam's roommate at the fictional school Rothborne. He only knows "bits and pieces" of Torey’s story about Chris.^[7]
Mr. Creed, father of Chis Creed and husband of Mrs.Creed,
Bob Haines, father of Digger Haines who had "always wanted Digger to go into the Marine Corps".^[8] After Digger was unable to join, his life went downhill and later he shot himself in a Lenape burial cave, to be found by Torey Adams.
Digger Haines, son of Bob Haines, who "lost his leg from the knee down" in a motorcycle accident.^[9] He left Steepleton and became a lawyer.
Glen Ames, the principal of Steepleton’s high-school and a friend of Digger Haines. He was the recipient of Chris’s goodbye e-mail.
Ali McDermott, a cute cheerleader who is labelled as a slut but is actually a loyal friend and is said to be the cause of the breakup between Torey and Leandra. She is also the girlfriend of Bo Richardson. She helped in the case of Christopher Creed.
Renee Bowen, Alex Arrington's girlfriend, also the Police Chief daughter. She is a mean girl who always accused Bo of Christopher’s disappearance and said her dad will throw him in jail. Renee and Torey have never seen eye to eye, as Renee is best friends with Leandra. She is the first one to turn on Torey after finding out that he has been associating with Bo and Ali.

Major themes

The Body of Christopher Creed reveals the issues of the questionable nature of "reality" and the need to "be taken seriously".^[10] In the novel Torey says that every person in Steepleton has their own "version of reality" that "has nothing to do with what’s true" or what's not true.^[11] Torey's mother screams at him to "remain calm" instead of addressing the point that he made.^[12] Similar situations occur throughout the novel where the children try to address a point and the adults push it aside to avoid the reality of their once "safe world" as Torey explains.^[13]

Critics have also noted that The Body of Christopher Creed addresses the issue of the need to "blame others" when tragedy strikes.^[13] A Chris Creed Book review states that the novel has an "interesting perspective" about how "cruel" people can be to one another. When "tragedy strikes" the townspeople of Steepleton look for others to blame instead of themselves.^[10] For instance, Mrs. Creed is quick to jump to a conclusion that Bo either "murdered" or is "holding" Chris after Bo is taken into custody, despite there being no evidence of this.^[14] Throughout the novel, the townspeople of Steepleton would rather cover up their problems by blaming others within their community.

Bibliography

Plum-Ucci, Carol (2001). The Body of Christopher Creed. New York: Volo. ISBN 0152063862.

References

^ Beckman, Hank (23 February 2007). "Childhood home was a spooky setting, author says". Naperville Sun.
^ Plum-Ucci p.2
^ Plum-Ucci p. 115
^ Plum-Ucci p.274
^ Plum-Ucci p.58
^ Plum-Ucci 190
^ ^a ^b Plum-Ucci p.3
^ Plum-Ucci p.149
^ Plum-Ucci p.148
^ ^a ^b "The Body of Christopher Creed". Publishers Weekly. May 22, 2000. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
^ Plum-Ucci, p.131
^ Plum-Ucci p. 131
^ ^a ^b Austin, Patricia (November 15, 2003). "Top 10 First Novels for Young Listeners". Booklist. 100 (6). ISSN 0006-7385. Retrieved March 14, 2012.
^ Plum-Ucci, p. 125