Maniac is an 11-year-old homeless orphan. After imparting the "birth scream of a legend" during his elementary school concert, Maniac runs from the dysfunctional home of his Aunt Dot and Uncle Dan. He shows up in Two Mills, "a scraggly little kid jogging . . . the soles of both sneakers hanging by their hinges and flopping open. . . ." He is friendly and open minded, saying "hi" to everyone he passes and ignoring the prejudice that exists in Two Mills.
In Maniac Magee, Spinelli has created a legendary character. When Maniac arrives in Two Mills, he performs extraordinary feats that amaze everyone, making him "cool times ten." With a book in one hand, he catches a football and punts it perfectly. Unafraid, he rescues a young boy from Finsterwald's yard. John McNab, a Little League pitcher who throws fastballs, does not intimidate Maniac. Maniac hits several home runs — breaking John's perfect record. Maniac also runs on the rails of the railroad track, and when he wanders — which he does often — he jogs. Maniac's reputation precedes him wherever he goes in Two Mills. Even though the feats that he performs make him "different" from others, Maniac appears unaffected by his talents.
Maniac makes a "home" for himself in the deer pen at the zoo. He never complains about his homelessness; however, his embarrassment and shame are evident when Mr. Beale drives him "home." Maniac gives Mr. Beale an address in the East End, an unrealistic address because only black people live in the East End. He is somewhat naïve because he is "blind" to the dividing line, Hector Street, which separates the East End where the blacks live and the West End where the whites live.
