35 pages • 1 hour read
Gary PaulsenThe River
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1991A 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
How do Paulsen’s uses of repetition function in the novel to create a particular mood and/or convey ideas?
Why does Paulsen use a third-person omniscient narrator, and how does point of view affect the reader’s understanding of the story? How would the story have been different if Brian or Derek narrated it?
Even though The River feels like it could have actually happened, it is a fictional story. How does Paulsen create this realistic impression? What literary devices and plot elements contribute to the true-to-life depiction of the story?
Paulsen gives the reader few details about Brian’s relationship with his parents and girlfriend. Why does he include these details, and how do they contribute to Brian’s character and the reader’s perception of Brian?
Paulsen uses sensory and natural imagery throughout the story. How does this enhance the reader’s understanding of Brian’s character, his experience, and/or the setting? What is Paulsen’s purpose in providing vivid and detailed descriptions?
Who or what is the antagonist in the story, and what is the major conflict?
What are some of Brian’s characteristics that help him and Derek survive? If Brian had never experienced surviving in nature before, how would the story have been different?
What is Paulsen trying to teach the reader about nature? Does Paulsen’s depiction of Brian and Derek’s ordeal urge the reader to spend more time in nature, or less time in nature?
The novel’s title is The River, but the river only becomes significant in the last half of the book. What are some reasons Paulsen may have chosen this title? What does the river symbolize? How does Paulsen draw attention to the river, and what is his purpose in doing so?
Related Titles
By Gary Paulsen
