With a cast of hybrids, it's no surprise that many of the characters in Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment are outsiders who don't exactly blend into society. As hybrids, the flock members and the Erasers are not like ordinary human beings walking down the street. Heck, they don't even think or experience the world in the same way that plain old humans do. When Max leads her flock to New York City, they take off in a restaurant and cause quite the stir with their wings, landing themselves on the front page of the newspaper. Even though the kids long to fit in (it's a lot easier than constantly being on the run, after all), they can never be like other children their age. They'll never just be "normal."
Questions About Foreignness and 'The Other'
- Why do the kids like being in New York City so much? Be specific, please.
- Do you think that Ella and Dr. Martinez consider Max a freak? Why or why not? Give evidence from the text.
- How do you think the flock members' parents would react if they knew about their hybrid status?
Chew on This
Even though Max and the other flock members are stronger and more unique than other kids, they feel inferior just because they're different. They don't want to have all of their powers if it means they'll just be marginalized by society.
Max and the other flock members may hate the Erasers, but in a way, they're the only other kids who understand what they go through. Because they're all science experiments who have grown up in the School, they have the same unique background and experiences that make them different from other kids.