I Want to Go Home

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

A 1982 novel by Gordon Korman.

Mike Webster is a young lad who has been sent to camp as a "reward" for his good marks. A month of nothing but sports... It's like torture to the unathletic young man. Fortunately for Mike, he encounters the only other person in all of Camp Algonkian Island who would rather be somewhere else; a quiet loner named Rudy Miller. Rudy, or simply Miller! to the counselors, is a genius and a natural athlete, but has run into enough trouble at school that, in his own words, "The guidance counselors misguided my parents into guiding me here." Rudy has but one desire; to leave sometime before the one month stay at Camp Algonkian is over. Unfortunately, the counselors have other plans.

The book is a humorous take on prison break stories, as Rudy and Mike attempt increasingly elaborate escapes and the counselors enact increasingly desperate measures to keep the two in camp.

Tropes used in I Want to Go Home include:


  • The Ace: Rudy. Deconstructed, since everyone pushes him to do things he doesn't care about, and he's bored with winning all the time. His room at home is full of trophies that don't mean anything to him.
  • An Axe to Grind: In his letter home, Rudy claims Chip is a reformed axe murderer who keeps an axe under his pillow.
  • Brick Joke: The volleyballs.
  • Butt Monkey: Harold Greene.
  • Chekhov's Gun: The beaver.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Rudy is the master of this trope; probably three quarters of his dialog consists of his rapier-sharp wit.
  • Inexplicably Identical Individuals: Miller quickly notes that all the counselors have the same attitude, clothing, and facial expression, and dubs them "clones".
  • The Lancer: Mike to Rudy.
  • Loophole Abuse: Mike and Rudy use it to circumvent their promises of not running away.
  • Not So Stoic: Rudy, when he bursts out in uncontrollable laughter after the camp has been flooded.
  • Only Sane Man: Pierre is the only sane counsellor. He's also the only one who really understands Rudy.
  • Running Gag: Chip falling into the lake, Mr. Warden's speeches, doing bad things to Harold Green. Camp Algonkian Island is considered one of these for inter-camp sporting events.
    • Don't forget the salute.
  • The Stoic: Rudy.
  • Surrounded by Idiots: How Rudy feels most of the time.
  • Turns Red: Chip, frequently.
  • Will Not Tell a Lie: Rudy. It's why he never hides his talent at anything.
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