60 pages • 2 hours read
Clare VanderpoolNavigating Early
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2013A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
The story of Pi is interspersed throughout the book’s main narrative, and Early appears to have conflated the number pi, the character Pi, and his brother, Fisher, all together. Reflect on this and what it reveals about Early’s character and how he views the world. Are there times when his perspective proves detrimental or disadvantageous? Substantiate your answer with examples from the text.
From his first visit to the library, Jack is captivated by a picture of “The Fish.” Why is this significant? What does is foreshadow in the book, and what insight does it lend about Jack’s character?
Comment on some of the characters Jack and Early meet along the way on their quest, such as Gunnar and Eustasia. What is their significance in the larger narrative? What parallels do they share with Pi’s story, and what ideas or themes of the book do their journeys tie into?
Early tosses Fisher’s dog tags into the river, just as Jack once threw away the navigator ring his father gave him. What are the similarities between both of these actions? What do the dog tags and the navigator ring symbolize? How does Jack’s response to Early throwing away the dog tags illustrate Jack’s character growth?
Examine how poetic justice is achieved for each of the characters in the story. Does the story end on a positive or hopeful note for them all? What about characters like MacScott and Eustasia? Justify your opinion with textual references.
Upon arriving at Morton Hill Academy for the first time, Jack takes note of the school motto: Semper Fidelis, which means “Always Faithful.” What significance does the idea of loyalty have in the story? How does it relate to and develop within Jack and Early’s relationship?
Compare Pi’s necklace of shells with Jack’s mother’s teacup. What similarities do both objects share in symbolism? How does the teacup reappear in the story and indicate the resolution Jack experiences concerning his mother’s death?
Compare and contrast Jack and John’s relationship with Early and Fisher’s. Which of the characters share similarities in how they process and express different feelings? How does this affect their respective relationships, regarding the conflicts it causes, and the way these are conflicts are later resolved?
Trace and illustrate the use of magical or fantastical elements in the story, using textual examples. How do the novel’s fantastical and magical elements help develop its themes?
Analyze the title of the book. How does it foreshadow events and relationships in the book? How does it tie into the themes, ideas, and symbolism present in the story?
