The Brethren. Teacher s notes LEVEL 5. About the author. Summary. John Grisham

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1 John Grisham About the author John Grisham was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas on February 8, He received a law degree from the University of Mississippi, and practiced both criminal and civil law in Southaven. In 1983, he was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives and in 1989, he published his first novel, A Time to Kill. His second novel, The Firm, published in 1991 was his first big success as a writer of legal thrillers. Since then, he has gone on to write ten more bestsellers, six of which have been made into blockbuster movies. is his eleventh novel, but has not been made into a movie yet. He divides his time between his home in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Oxford, Mississippi. Summary are three judges who meet in Trumble Prison, having been sent there for their various crimes. They spend hours together in the prison library setting up a scam to blackmail rich gay men who are married and who have a lot to lose if their homosexuality is revealed. With the help of their dishonest lawyer, they begin to make a lot of money. advertise for pen pals in gay magazines (using the name Ricky). Their lawyer takes care of collecting and delivering the letters to the prison and hiding the money in bank accounts in the Bahamas. When the Brethren receive a few letters with incriminating evidence, they demand money and threaten to reveal their victims secrets. Meanwhile, the CIA director, Teddy Maynard, is trying to save the United States from Russian attacks, and possibly from a third world war. He creates the perfect candidate, who will increase defense spending and build up the US military machine, in time for the next presidential election: Congressman Aaron Lake. What Maynard doesn t know is that Lake has written two letters to Ricky. When he discovers Lake s secret, he and his men at the CIA work to uncover the scam in order to cleanse their candidate s private life. Chapter 1: The story is set at Trumble Federal Prison where three former judges comprise the Brethren, a law-keeping body inside the prison which resembles a courtroom. They solve disputes and their decisions are accepted by prisoners, guards and officials. Chapter 2: Aaron Lake, a congressman from Arizona meets Teddy Maynard, the director of the CIA. Maynard offers Lake the possibility of becoming the new American president as long as he campaigns to double their defense spending in his four years in office. This is needed because Russian Natli Chenkov is building up Russian military forces. Chapter 3: have organized a scam from prison. With the help of their lawyer, Trevor Carson, they published an ad in a gay magazine. They pretend to be Ricky, a young gay man who looks for men. The people who answer the ad are well-respected middle-aged men. So the Brethren blackmail them and are getting rich. Chapter 4: Aaron Lake accepts Maynard s deal and so they plan the campaign. Trevor Carson s job is to find information about the men who fall into the scam and carries letters in and out of prison. Quince is one of those men who falls into the trap and has paid $100,000. Chapter 5: There is a terrorist attack on the US Embassy in Cairo. This favors Lake s position. Sam Neville, the CIA agent in charge of watching Lake, discovers Lake has a post box under a false name. They know Aaron has a secret but wonder what it may be. Chapter 6: Curtis Cates, owner of six jewelry stores, has also paid so that his secret does not come out. The scam is working. Maynard s agents find a letter from Ricky to Al Konyers who is in fact, Lake. They answer it themselves and wait for Carson at the post office. c Pearson Education Limited Teacher s notes of 5

2 Chapter 7: The President attempts to destroy the terrorist who attacked the embassy and fails, which favors Lake s campaign. In the meantime, the CIA invents Brant White and sends a letter to the Brethren who get very interested in him as he seems to be very rich. Chapter 8: Buster is a new inmate. He needs the Brethren to revise his case. They believe Buster is innocent and suggest he escape from prison, which is not difficult as there are no fences surrounding it. Chapter 9: On the plane to Wichita after a very positive debate against his opponent, Governor Terry, Lake writes a letter to Ricky saying goodbye. But the plane makes an emergency landing, which forces Lake to hide the letter. It gets mailed together with thank-you notes and so by mistake, the Brethren discover Al Konyers is really Aaron Lake. Chapter 10: The CIA agents make a deal with Trevor Carson: they will pay him $100,000 for Trevor s help and information. He accepts and tells them about the organization, who the Brethren are, and how they handle the scam. He goes to prison to give money to the judges who, in the end, fire him. Chapter 11: Trevor escapes CIA surveillance. He flies to the Bahamas to get his money and hides on an island. The CIA decides to send an undercover agent to prison, Wilson Argrow. Buster escapes from Trumble with the help of the Brethren and money they give him in exchange for his help: to post a letter for Al Konyers. Chapter 12: Wilson Argrow meets the judges telling them he is a banker in prison for stealing millions from the bank he worked for. In the meantime, the CIA intercepts a letter from Ricky to Al Konyers where they blackmail him as they know he is Aaron Lake. Chapter 13: Trevor Carson is found dead in Puerto Rico. Wilson asks the Brethren for legal assistance, but as he cannot pay for it, the judges suggest his finding out about their money in the Caribbean. He informs them Trevor had not taken it and suggests they move the money to Panama, which is safer. He only needs a statement with their signatures to do so. He gives the statement to his brother Jack who is in fact, CIA agent Roger Lyter. Chapter 14: Maynard asks the President for presidential pardons for the three judges in prison which the President grants. Wilson informs the Brethren that Lake has contacted his brother Jack and has put forward a deal to end the problem: will get $2,000,000 each and presidential pardons if they disappear for two years. Chapter 15: are now out of prison. They meet Jack Argrow who gives them their new passports, credit cards and tickets to London where their money is, in exchange for their file on Aaron Lake. After getting married, an idea suggested by Maynard, Aaron Lake becomes president of the United States. Wilson Argrow meets one of the judges in Monte Carlo. He warns him that the CIA is still watching the three of them and that they know the Brethren have started their scam again. Background and themes The law The lawmakers and the lawbreakers in this story include lawyers, judges, the president of the United States, the director of the CIA and other CIA agents, governors, senators and a congressman. Blackmail, manipulation of the public through use of fear, false identities, and the use of innocent victims to achieve one s goals all play a part in this world of intrigue. Rich gay men who are married and cannot afford to let their homosexuality be known become victims of a scam to extort money. Wives are used as a means to cover up their secrets. Man s inhumanity to man covers a broad spectrum of possibilities. Three judges involve their lazy and greedy lawyer, Trevor Carson, in their nasty scam. They all want money and this is such an easy way to get it until they choose the wrong man, and the CIA is on their trail. The CIA The CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) was established in 1947 for the purpose of gathering and evaluating foreign intelligence. Similar agencies operate in other countries. There was the KGB in the former Soviet Union, MI6 in the United Kingdom, the DGSE in France, and the Mossad in Israel. They undertake counterintelligence operations in foreign countries and their work includes, among other things, organizing secret political intervention in other countries. The American CIA is immensely powerful and during the 1980s was actively involved in Afghanistan and Iran. Ronald Reagan, who was president from , won a landslide presidential election on a program of reduced taxes and increased defense spending, just as Congressman Aaron Lake does in. Reagan viewed the Russians as a great c Pearson Education Limited Teacher s notes 2 of 5

3 military threat, just as the fictional Teddy Maynard does as the director of the CIA. Maynard needs a president in the White House who understands this threat, and who is willing to increase defense spending so that the Russians cannot pose a military threat. Maynard is in a wheelchair, as was President Roosevelt who was president during World War II, and he is in pain all of the time. He plans to retire after the next president takes office, but he wants to be sure that he leaves the world a safer place. As director of the CIA, Maynard is capable of influencing the presidential elections so that his man wins. The democratic system The American process of electing a president is rather complicated and confusing, but in short, the process is as follows: Politicians put their name forward. They are usually governors, senators, or congressmen. Then they try to charm the state delegations and gain financial support. (Presidential elections cost many millions of dollars, so candidates need to either be rich or be friends of the rich.) Special elections called primaries are held. This is when Republicans and Democrats alike choose their presidential candidate. At the parties separate conventions, the candidate for the party is officially announced. The election campaigning starts in September and election day is on the first Tuesday in November, every four years. Discussion activities 1 Discuss: a Ask students what kinds of people go to prison and for what crimes. b Ask students what they know about the CIA. c Elicit from the class, the names of places in the world where terrorist attacks are happening now. Have a class debate on terrorism. d Ask the class if they think a gay man could be a good president. Do they think this may happen in the future? Why/why not? Discuss the pros and cons of a woman as president of the United States, or an African- or Asian-American person. 2 Read carefully: Ask the students to work in groups. They read the information in the Introduction. Then, they answer the following questions: a Who are the Brethren? b Where are they? c What do they do for the other prisoners? d What do they organize? e What goes wrong? Chapters Role play: Ask students to work in groups of five. Three of the students will play the part of the judges. The other two students will be criminals who have a conflict that needs a solution. They present the problem to the Brethren. must come up with a solution. Possible conflicts to be discussed: a one of the criminals is caught stealing cigarettes from another one. b one of the criminals is caught reading the other s personal letters. c one of the criminals is caught stealing food from the other one. 4 Discuss: Ask students to work in pairs. Make them imagine they are two of Aaron Lake s advisers. Ask them to come up with a list of ideas in favor and against his accepting the deal suggested by CIA Director Teddy Maynard. 5 Group work: Ask students to work in groups of six, to plan their role plays of T. Karl, Joe Roy Spicer, Finn Yarber, Hatlee Beech, Sherlock, and Picasso in the court scene from Picasso against Sherlock. After minutes of preparation, get students to act out the scene. 6 Discuss: Get students to answer the following questions: a What is Sherlock charged with doing? b Why are the roses important to Picasso? c What does Joe Roy Spicer hope to become? d Why does the CIA director think that Congressman Lake is a solid candidate? e Where is the money going to come from for Lake s presidential campaign? f How does the pen pal scam work? 7 Group work: Get students to work in groups. They work together to write Quince s letter in response to the one sent to him by the Brethren at the end of chapter three. Then they read them aloud to the rest of the class. Chapters Discuss: Get students to have a class discussion on the following questions: How well do you think the Brethren s scam will work? What do you think Quince will do? Why? 9 Role play: Ask students to work in groups of three. Ask them to role play the conversation between Aaron Lake, Teddy Maynard, and James York at eleven o clock, when Lake is in Maynard s office again. Get them to decide when Lake will announce being a candidate and design the first TV advertisement. c Pearson Education Limited Teacher s notes of 5

4 10 Discuss: Ask students to give you the impressions they get about the following characters. They can mention their characteristics, attitudes, etc. Get them to explain their opinions. Quince Trevor Carson Aaron Lake Teddy Maynard Hetlee Finn Joe Roy 11 Discuss: Ask students to work in pairs and discuss how/when these characters first see each other or have contact. Then check to see if everyone in the class agrees. a the Brethren and Trevor Carson b Hatlee Beech and Aaron Lake c Senator Britt and the mother of his son d Vann Gates and Ricky e the CIA and Trevor Carson 12 Pair work: Get students to work in pairs to analyze the answer Quince wrote to the Brethren. (Chapter 6, page 31). Ask them to check whether his letter has any similarities with the one they wrote for activity 7. Are there any differences? Which? What elements did they consider that Quince did not? Have a class discussion on their ideas. Chapters Discuss: Get students to have a look at the title for Chapter 7 and ask them to have a class discussion based on the following questions: Who do you think is in control of the situation in the story so far? Why do you say so? 14 Pair work: Ask students to work in pairs and decide whether the following events in the story are a result of fear, greed, revenge, or a sense of justice. Later ask them to compare their answers with other pairs of students and discuss any differences. a The President orders an attack on a terrorist group. b Finn Yarber writes to Quince asking for $25,000. c Chap and Wes, two CIA agents, want to kill Ricky. d decide to send a letter to Brant White. e Trevor works on finding out who the real Brant White is f Yarber tells Buster how easy it is to walk out of Trumble. g Lake writes a letter to Ricky on the airplane. 15 Discuss: Get students to have a class discussion based on the following questions: a Can you explain why Teddy says: Those three judges picked the wrong man. (Chapter 7 page 40) b Why do the CIA agents need Quince to pay the $25,000 requested by the Brethren? c How does Lake hide his secret? How effective do you think he will be? Why do you say so? 16 Role play: Put the students in groups of three to role play the scene where Chap and Wes go to Quince Garbe s office. Give them minutes to prepare the role play. Then ask each group act out this scene for the class. 17 Discuss: meet Buster in Trumble Prison and he tells them about his prison sentence and of his innocence. Ask the class if his story believable. Why/why not? Chapters Discuss: Get students to have a class discussion on the following idea: Now that the Brethren know who Al Konyers really is, what do you think they will do? What steps will they take? Why do you say so? 19 Pair work: Get students to work in pairs and to write a list that describes what Trevor Carson has to do for the Brethren. Then ask students to compare their list with another pair s and report findings to the class. 20 Role play: Ask students to work in groups of four. They will represent Maynard, York, Wes and Chap. Wes and Chap have just talked to Trevor after he meets the Brethren in prison and they have not heard anything of their conversation (beginning of Chapter 11). Ask the four students to role play the conversation between Maynard, York, Wes and Chap deciding the next steps to take to protect Aaron Lake from public disaster. c Pearson Education Limited Teacher s notes of 5

5 21 Group work: Ask the class to discuss in small groups who they think the most intelligent in these chapters is and why: Joe Roy Spicer, Trevor Carson, or the CIA agents. Compare answers. 22 Discuss: Get students to have a class discussion based on the following question: a Why does the CIA need an undercover agent inside Trumble? b What has Teddy Maynard asked Wilson Argrow to do inside the prison? c Why do you think that is necessary? Chapters Predict: Ask students to work in pairs. They read the titles of the last chapters and try to anticipate the end of the novel. 24 Discuss: What do you think will happen to Trevor Carson? Why do you say so? Why do you believe Chapter 13 is called Follow the money? 25 Discuss: Ask students to work in small groups and discuss these questions. a Was Trevor Carson killed by a stranger who wanted his money? b Why is Buster important to the story? c What happens at the end of the story after Yarber goes to find his two friends? 26 Role play: Ask students to work in groups of three. They will be Spicer, Yarber and Beech. Ask them to act out the conversation they may have had after Wilson Argrow tells them about the possibility of a deal with the CIA. 27 Class work: Write the six names below on slips of paper, fold them in half and put in an envelope. Ask six students to take a slip. Tell the students not to show their name to anyone. Give them minutes to gather information on their character, so that they can speak confidently about who they are. The rest of the class will ask them yes/no questions to try to discover their identities. Real names: Vann Gates Hatley Beech Aaron Lake James York Kenny Sands Roger Lyter 28 Group work: Ask the class to discuss these questions in small groups: a Why did the CIA want presidential pardons for the Brethren? b Are there any innocent, good, moral people in this story? If so, who are they? When they finish discussing, get them to find out if the groups agree. c Do you think Teddy s solution to the Lake mess is appropriate? Why/why not? What could the consequences of this solution be? Extra activity 29 Discuss: Discuss the following questions with the students: Could the events in this story have happened in your country? Why (not)? Think about the workings of the CIA, the campaigning for president, Trumble Prison, the Brethren s blackmailing gay men, the presidential pardon of the Brethren. Talk to another student about this. Do you think Grisham s story is realistic? Why (not)? Vocabulary activities For the Word List and vocabulary activities, go to c Pearson Education Limited Teacher s notes 5 of 5