History Literature / ASemesterInTheLifeOfAGarbageBag

* AdultsAreUseless: With the exception of [[CoolOldGuy Gramp]] and eventually some reporters, the adults in the novel refuse to believe the students when they say SACGEN breaks down every day.

* AdultsAreUseless: With the exception of [[CoolOldGuy Gramp]], the adults in the novel refuse to believe the students when they say SACGEN breaks down every day.

* ThrowTheDogABone: To keep the only witnesses from [[spoiler:SACGEN's demise talking about it while it's getting renovated]], the school principal insists on sending Raymond, Sean, Steven and the girl they like [[spoiler:to Theomelpos, with nonrefundable tickets. Raymond starts crying TearsOfJoy.]]

* TheUnishment: Superintendant Hyatt seems honestly convinced that [[spoiler:sending Jardine and the others on a tropical vacation everyone in school has been competing for to keep them from exposing the systems flaws]] is something that they will be disappointed with.

* ScrewPolitenessImASenior

** Sean's father's {{Catchphrase}} is "Don't blame me," which he says every time he buys a revolutionary new gadget that malfunctions, a RunningGag throughout the book.

* NeverMyFault: The SACGEN engineers and superintendent constantly deny that the system is flawed and blame anyone else involved for the system failing or being humiliated.

** The funny thing is Raymond's method does work to a point. Their English teacher is impressed by their decision to study an obscure poet. The only problem is Raymond's CriticalResearchFailure to confirm that Gavin Gunhold had written enough material to be the subject of a 30-page research paper.

* HotAsHell: Ashley wears a costume to this effect to the costume party that has Sean half consider proposing to her on the spot.

* HighSchool
* HornyDevils: Ashley wears a costume to this effect to the costume party that has Sean half consider proposing to her on the spot.

* AskAStupidQuestion: Gramp takes this UpToEleven when Mr. Delancey asks how he spent his day:

* CluelessChickMagnet: Although Raymond is unaware of it, his misfortune doesn't seem to extend to the romance department, as he's got quite the female fanbase among the Freshmen ladies. When Sean tells Raymond that Sean's younger sister Nikki likes him, Raymond is stunned and can only reply that he "Jardine has no luck with women".
** Of course, [[AllLoveIsUnrequited since the girl he really likes still isn't interested in him]], perhaps he's right.

* GoToAlias: The name "Gavin Gunhold" appears in several Gordon Korman novels in this capacity; here, it's the name of an actual [[spoiler:(deceased)]] person, whom [[spoiler:Sean's grandfather ends up impersonating]].

* GoToAlias: The name "Gavin Gunhold" appears in several Gordon Korman novels in this capacity; here, it's the name of an actual (deceased) person, whom [[spoiler:Sean's grandfather ends up impersonating]].

* RevengeBeforeReason: In this case, Sean wants revenge against ''the SACGEN unit'' in part because [[spoiler:it started a power outage that resulted in Raymond breaking his ankle]], even though [[spoiler:his plan to defeat SACGEN is inevitably going to be the death of Raymond's hopes to go to Theamelpos]], which is the only thing Raymond really cares about.

* NiceGuy: Steve Semenski is a good-natured person who has done nothing to deserve Raymond and Sean's resentment except be popular and liked by Ashley.

* NiceGuy: Steve Semenski is a good-natured person who has done nothing to deserve Raymond and Sean's resentment except be liked by Ashley.

* SameSurnameMeansRelated: Raymond [[{{Averted}} initially assumed this]] about Mark and Marlene Saperstein, who he refers to as "the Sap family" even after finding out they just happen to share a surname. It's still a valid enough description as they've been engaged "since kindergarten" and are an obnoxiously inseparable couple.