46 pages • 1 hour read
Peg KehretEarthquake Terror
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1996A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Power of Nature
Kehret highlights the power of nature through descriptions of the destruction that the earthquake causes and the many life-threatening problems it creates for the Palmer family. Her use of intense imagery captures how much damage the earthquake does, and she highlights the widespread range of destruction and variety of issues it creates. For example, although the earthquake only lasts five minutes, it topples many trees that took decades to grow to staggering heights. By destroying the trees, the earthquake also destroys property such as the Palmers’ camper and Abby’s walker, and Kehret shows that it could just as easily have killed Jonathan Palmer and Abby Palmer had one of the trees fallen on them. The fallen trees also create a natural dam in Magpie Lake that leads to the island flooding in a matter of hours. On the road, the earthquake causes destruction to the pavement and topples more trees, making it impossible for the Palmers to continue driving. In the town of Beaverville, the earthquake breaks water lines and gas lines, resulting in fires that townspeople have no supply of water to fight. By showing the domino effect of the many types of damage that the earthquake causes, Kehret highlights the limitations of humans who try to contend with nature’s immense power.
Kehret also uses a variety of literary devices and figurative language to further highlight nature’s power. Imagery, including the use of simile and metaphor, creates a vivid illustration of the earthquake’s damage. For instance, when Jonathan witnesses the damage that the earthquake caused to the bridge, Kehret employs a simile, stating that “the bridge looked like a giant water slide” (52) with one half angling down into the water. Additionally, the crushed camper is also described with a simile as the narrative states, “The rest of the camper was flattened like an aluminum can in the recycling bin” (41). By using similes to describe the earthquake’s destruction, Kehret utilizes common objects to create a variety of images that are accessible to young readers. Even though readers may have not witnessed or experienced earthquake damage, they can understand how destructive an earthquake can be through Kehret’s vivid descriptions.
Later in the novel, Kehret strategically shifts the narrative’s perspective multiple times to provide more details about nature’s power. As she transitions from sharing Jonathan’s thoughts to showing the point of view of rescuers in a helicopter, she uses the helicopter’s bird’s-eye view to describe the wide variety and large surface area of damage caused by the earthquake. From the air, the pilot and medics can see “great crevices” opened on the ground and a train knocked from its tracks. Similarly, flooding from the Tuscan River washes homes and telephone poles away. The roads are buckled and no longer drivable, and in one area, a gap opens in the street “like somebody opened a giant zipper” (121). These detailed descriptions from above provide further evidence of nature’s power and highlight the widespread damage that a single natural disaster can cause.
Overcoming Fear and Uncertainty in Survival Situations
Throughout the novel, characters face uncertainty as they try to respond to the constantly shifting circumstances that follow the earthquake. As the characters navigate each new challenge, Kehret demonstrates that uncertainty can easily heighten fear and make decisions more difficult. However, even as characters face a flurry of unknowns during their difficulties, Kehret shows that they continue to take decisive action despite fear and uncertainty. Jonathan is the primary character to demonstrate this dynamic. After the earthquake, Jonathan is unsure of the road conditions between the island and mainland and doesn’t know whether his parents made it to town before the earthquake hit. These uncertainties complicate his decision-making process, forcing him to choose a course of action with incomplete information. Instead of hesitating, however, Jonathan takes action to find answers by walking along the road and searching for his parents’ car. This choice helps him to better understand the circumstances he is facing. Jonathan’s example shows the value of taking action despite uncertainty and fear. Other situations that Jonathan faces highlight his uncertainty as well. When passing Beaverville on floating logs, Jonathan wonders if he should leave Abby to swim toward shore or stay with her. Every moment brings new circumstances and decisions that Jonathan must make, even after he is separated from Abby. Kehret shows that taking action despite the unknown is sometimes necessary, for choosing a path and sticking to it is often far better than choosing to do nothing.
Mr. Palmer also faces uncertainty and the fear that comes with it. For example, when he sees downed power lines on his walk toward Beaverville, he wonders if there will be telephone service in the town, and if not, how he will be able to arrange a rescue for Mrs. Palmer, Abby, and Jonathan. Kehret notes that he feels fear in this moment, highlighting the link between uncertainty and fear. Through the many unknown factors that the characters face after the earthquake, Kehret continues to demonstrate the ways in which uncertainty can fuel fearful emotions just as unanswered questions render it all the more difficult to make wise decisions.
Self-Reliance in the Coming-of-Age Journey
As Jonathan and Abby face one crisis after another while separated from their parents, Kehret uses their circumstances to demonstrate that learning self-reliance is part of the coming-of-age process. Without experiencing independence and accepting responsibility, one cannot truly grow in maturity. This dynamic first becomes apparent when Jonathan is given the responsibility of looking after Abby when his mother breaks her ankle. At first, this task seems doable for him. He makes the suggestion that his parents leave him and Abby behind while they go seek medical attention, and even though he doesn’t love the idea of being in charge of Abby, he is confident in his ability to return with her to the camper. However, when the earthquake hits and Jonathan must take care of Abby in an emergency survival situation, his confidence wanes. This responsibility is more than he volunteered for, yet he has no way of escape and has no one else he can turn to for help. The situation forces Jonathan to make decisions and solve problems entirely outside his limited experience, and he quickly develops self-reliance because he has no other option if he hopes to ensure their survival and keep his sister safe. Rising to the occasion, Jonathan demonstrates exceptional maturity for his 12 years as he asks himself what his parents would do and uses creativity to encourage Abby to listen to his instructions. Even though the responsibility of taking care of a six-year-old in the woods after an earthquake is not what Jonathan would have chosen, he demonstrates character growth and competence as the novel unfolds. Kehret shows that tough life experiences are opportunities for developing independence, and that learning to be self-reliant is part of the coming-of-age process.
Abby’s character provides another example of this theme. When Abby can rely on Jonathan, she does not need to think for herself, or make independent decisions, and it is immediately clear that because Jonathan is bearing the burden of keeping them safe, she does not fully grasp the reality of their situation. By contrast, when Abby later finds herself alone near the shore, she experiences a moment of realization that only she can help herself. She understands that no one else is present to depend on, and this gives her a new perspective. She is forced to evaluate her own situation and decide whether to stay on her or try to crawl to shore. As she faces her fears, she learns that she is stronger than she realized. Abby also learns that she can move well in the water and finds a sense of accomplishment in making it to the shore independently. Although Abby is young, she is forced to be self-reliant while away from her family’s guidance. Her hours spent alone lead to growth in maturity and independence that she would not experience otherwise. In this way, Kehret uses Jonathan and Abby’s character development to demonstrate that young people must build self-reliance as part of the coming-of-age process. She suggests that young people are capable of more than they may initially think, and that difficult circumstances can lead to growth in maturity.
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By Peg Kehret
