Summary

In “Elliott Spencer,” 89 works with Jerry on their “list of Words Worth Knowing” (197). During each lesson, Jerry teaches 89 new words and their meanings. Before Job One Day, 89 learns the definitions and images for “Freedom,” “Poor,” “Sick,” “Weak,” and “Oppressor” and “Bastard,” “Turd,” “Creep,” and “Idiot,” the latter four of which have the same meaning (199, Saunders’s italics).

On Job One Day, 89’s Supervisors take 89 and his cohort to a field. 89 is given the name Greg, like many others in his cohort. When Job One begins, Greg’s cohort faces a line of Police. They shout “BastardTurdCreepIdiot” at the Police (201, Saunders’s italics). The Supervisors have told them they are standing for the sick and poor and defending the weak from the oppressors (201).

That night, the intercom system glitches. The cohort hears everything the Supervisors Jerry, Kennedy B., Kevin, and Meg...