‘THE BRADY BUNCH IN THE NEW YORK MYSTERY” by Jack Matcha Chapter 7

1) PLOT SYNOPSIS: Darlene and the Bradys again find themselves followed by two strange men, this time following their minibus in a car with a phone. Greg tries to lose them by persuading Darlene to park and they board the subway to the Battery. There they take the boat to Staten Island, but the two men are on the boat. Greg approaches the men and asks why they’re being followed but the men refuse to answer. The Bradys climb the Statue of Liberty. On their return on the subway, Jan loses her glasses and as Peter helps her search, the two are left behind as the crowd pushes the others off at their stop. Peter and Jan are crushed on the train and are unable to disembark at successive stops……. 2) CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Marcia is impressed by Greg’s bravery in confronting the two men. All of the Bradys are awed by “the great lady” of Staten Island. Jan is quite like the Scooby Gang’s Thelma as she searches on hands and knees for her glasses……. 3) RELEVANT CULTURAL ISSUES: Cultural sensitivity. A Chinese man on the subway is quoted saying, “Please lady to make room. Cannot enter if you block door that way.”…… 4) HIP SLANG: “Son of a gun” (Alice), “darn” (Alice), “for Pete’s sake” (Peter) and “crazy” (Greg)…… 5) CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL REFERENCES: Bobby thinks the subway ride is better “than the fastest merry-go-round, no kidding.”….. 6) FAVORITE SENTENCES: “Every time I see a subway scene in a movie, some poor son of a gun is hanging on a strap and shaking like a leaf while the train hurtles through that darn tunnel.” “Seen up close, she looked like some enormous building in the form of a woman or a lady in the form and shape of a mountain.”