Tornado

Though Tornado is a dog, he is described in human-like detail throughout the novel. What are some of the primary techniques Byars uses to characterize Tornado?

Tornado includes both emotive themes like loss and resilience in the face of destruction and lighthearted anecdotes. How would you describe the overall tone of the novel? How do comedic and emotionally intense elements of the novel fit together or balance each other?

How does Pete’s characterization as an adult differ from how he is represented as a child? What remains unchanged?

The primary settings of the novel are the storm cellar, where the family waits out the tornado, and spaces around Pete’s family farm. How do the physical settings interact with the novel’s tone and themes?

Pete evidently admires his father. In what ways does Pete seem to emulate and be similar to his father? In what ways are they different?

How do stories about Carey’s turtle and Five-Thirty compare and contrast with descriptions of Pete and Tornado? What is the importance of including other animals in the novel, particularly to its theme of The Power of Human-Animal Bonds?

Does Tornado change during the novel or exhibit a particular arc as a character? What evidence from the text supports or refutes this? If Tornado does have a character trajectory, how would you describe it?

Byars uses vivid sensory details—including visual, auditory, and gestural—to describe scenes in the novel. How do these techniques affect the novel’s tone?