1. Why Is Brian Visiting His Father in Canada? How Does Brian Feel About His Mother?

Carly Hasken

1. Why is Brian visiting his father in Canada? How does Brian feel about his mother?

Brian is visiting his father in Canada because his parents got a divorce, so his father moved to Canada to work. Brian feels that his mother is sad that him going to visit his father in Canada. He doesn’t like his mother’s “secret”

2. What is Brian's plan for landing the plane? What conclusions can you draw about Brian from the actions he takes before the crash?

Brian decides that the best way to land the plane would be in the water. I can think that he wants to land the plane in the water because there would be less of an impact, and the plane wouldn't hit any trees. I can also tell that Brian is afraid to land the plane, I can tell from how he kept on calling out for help every 10 minutes, and how he is debating whether to land the plane, or wait for it to run out of fuel.

3. What lesson does Brian recall from Mr. Perpich, his English teacher? How does the lesson help Brian as he sits beside the lake?

Mr. Perpich always told kids to stay positive, and think about all the things that they have to work with. This helps Brian a lot. When he stays positive, he gets more things done. He also thinks about what he can use, and what he can use it for.

4. Sometimes Brian's thoughts go back to an earlier time, when he was with his mother. What effect do these "break" have on the story?

It makes Brian sad. It makes him sad because he wants to tell his father, the “secret” but doesn’t know if he should. It also makes him sad that his mother would do this, and how it was her fault that he is in the middle of the Canadian woods.

5. Are Brian's reactions to the pilot's death and the crash realistic? Does Brian seem like a real thirteen-year-old? Explain your answer.

Yes. I think it seems realistic because I would do the same thing as Brian, not think about it at all.

I think that Brian seems like somebody who is older, I think this because he manages to keep calm, this would be hard for most other 13 year olds. He also manages to evaluate the whole problem and think about what he can do, and try to stay positive.