Background info.

Plot Summary:
In Running Loose by Chris Crutcher we start out with Louis Banks also known as Louie introducing us to his life. He is a senior in high school and on his town’s 8-man football team. This year Louie finally gets a starting position. He is excited about this only for a little until the day that Coach Lednecky starts to tell the boys that they need to take out the new Salmon River player, Washington. Not only was Lednecky telling the boys to play dirty he was also being racist. Lednecky wasn't being the only racist member of the football team; Boomer was the other racist teammate. Louie couldn't deal with the fight going on in his head so he talked his problems out with Carter, his best friend. Carter says not to worry about it. It's probably all just talk and for a while Louie does get his mind off "the game plan" for he has a girlfriend. Yes, Becky Sanders one of the most popular girls in school asks Louie Banks out. Now Louie doesn't understand why a girl like Becky would ever want to go out with a guy like him. Soon the big game against Salmon River comes and Washington, the star player is warming up. As the game progressed he started to relax about the dirty football comments said earlier before the game. Washington was so fast there was no why anyone on his team would be able to catch him. Then tragic strikes, Boomer hit Washington so hard I think the wind was knocked out of him. That's when Louie had his first of two outbursts. So Louie gets kicked of the field; and he doesn't come back at least while he's still at Trout. Now he just has Becky, but all good things do come to an end and I wish I could say that they broke up. Becky was in a car accident. There were kids on motorcycles on the rode; she swerved so she wouldn't hit them. She hit the bridge and landed in the water. Louie is heartbroken. Becky’s mom comes into town and has this big funeral for Becky and that’s when the second outburst happens. Louie doesn’t like what the priest is saying so he speaks his mind. After being pulled out of the church by Carter and Boomer Louie goes cuts down a tree. I think he would have done something much more destructive if Coach Madison hadn’t been around to help him through his emotions. Coach Madison got Louie on the track team running the two mile. At the race against Salmon River, Washington is there; he’s running the two mile as well. At first Louie’s shocked he doesn’t know what to do. He’s won the two mile every time Washington can’t take that away, but than Washington walks over to talk to Louie. He tells Louie not to be intimidated by him. Washington calls Louie his hero and he has to challenge his heroes. He wanted a good race. In the end Louie does beat Washington and goes on to regionals, but that’s where he stops.

Setting:
Louie lives in the small town of Trout in Idaho. Most of the scenes take place in the town either at the high school, Dakota’s bar, or his house. There were though scenes thrown in there that they only went to once like the cabin, Becky’s house or the restaurant in Salmon River. If we’re talking about time, it definitely took place through out the school year, starting with fall, then came snow, and last the snow at the end of the book was melted for spring. I think the Book may have taken place in either the very late 70’s or the 80’s. More likely the 80’s in my opinion.

Character Description:

Louis (Louie) Banks is an athletic senior in high school and the main character in the story Running Loose. He isn’t very confident in himself. He’s always putting himself down and he says he’s not good at stuff. He has a pessimistic attitude. Having such a negative attitude makes him seem uncaring, but at the same time sensitive. His has a grade point average is 2.46. As I said before he does have a sensitive side; he’s loves and cares for those who are close to him.
Becky Sanders is Louis’s girlfriend. She is also a cheerleader and Louie describes her as the type of girl who could have anyone she wants, for Becky is pretty, smart and funny. Becky is full of love and will listen to you if you need an ear.

Carter is Louie’s best friend. He is there to listen to Louie and point out what Louie may not see. He is a very relaxed, laid back character. Also, he may be the best football player on the trout team. Carter has this motto that to get through life you just need a good act.

Boomer is another player on the trout football team and he is definitely not one of Louie’s friends. Boomer is a bully, but he just can’t control his anger. His dad beats him for just the littlest of things. Not only a bully, Boomer often fabricates stories about getting with girls and is racist. He puts on the tough guy act.

Dakota is one of Louie’s bosses. Dakota owns a bar and is an enlighten thinker. Louie takes many of his problems to Dakota to hear what he thinks. Dakota enjoys a good argument and knows how to handle the people who always seem to be in your business.

Norm is Louie’s father and Louie’s other boss. Norm owns a garage and is on the school board. Like Dakota Norm is a good listener and wants to help Louie if he has a problem, but he also believes strongly in letting someone live their own life and fight their own battles.

Brenda is Louie’s overprotective mother. Well she’s not exactly over protective she just wants her son to make a good impression. She always makes sure he is wearing clean underwear.

Coach Lednecky is the racist coach that told his team to play dirty football. He only cares about winning and doesn’t really care who gets hurt along the way. He never changes his mind throughout the story either. It’s always his way or no way.

Jasper is close friends with Lednecky so he always takes his side. He tries to be a fair principal, but in the end he always goes back to what he originally hard thought. He’s a very close minded character.

Coach Madison doesn’t have much meaning in the beginning of the story. He’s just the coach that Louie sees always sitting on the side line. Then towards the end of the book he starts to care a lot about Louie’s well being. He is a very ambitious man. He wanted Louie to get on the track team.

Becky’s dad has a small part, but it has a big impact in Louie’s life. He is a kind man who wants to help Louie. The main thing he does for Louie is gets him on the track team.

Washington is the athlete from Salmon River, the one that Boomer takes out. Later Washington races Louie in track, but before the race Washington calls Louie his hero.

Out of all the characters in the book, I think only two actually changed and develop throughout the book, and those two are Louie and Boomer. Louie changed the most from the beginning of the book to the end of the book. The first life changing event for him was when he was at the football game where Boomer had taken Washington out. Louie had an outburst and was kicked off the field and later he quit football all together. Then, there was the cabin scene where Louie learned what an understanding, caring, and loving girl Becky really is. The last life changing advent for Louie was when Becky died and at the funeral he has another outburst. With his reputation up in the air and his emotions all over the place you’d think that getting his life back together might be a problem, but with the help and support of family and friends Louie’s life is back on track. The other character that changed a little is Boomer. Boomer usually bullies Louie and tells Louie outrageous stories, but during the funeral scene something in Boomer changes. When Louie freaks out at the funeral Boomer helps Carter get Louie out of the church. Once out of the church Boomer is telling Louie that it’s okay and everything is going to be alright. It was shocking I never saw the kind side of Boomer before. As for the other characters, I think they were just really fillers to help Louie through his changes.