AUTHOR'S COMMENTS # 9

a. Catcher was an old man, and had severe heart problems. The shock of the loss of his boat may have aggravated these problems. We'll never know. Certainly he had a great last few months, doing exactly what he wanted to do, because of Jack. His time had come and he passed away along with his boat, comfortable in his sleep. There are much worse ways to go.

b. In many ways, Jack is like Catcher. He has an all consuming drive to fish and live by way of the sea. He loves boats and is looking forward to his first real boat of his own. He seems to have a natural ability and he is determined to use these skills and to not give in to circumstance or to the threats and actions of others. He know longer is melancholy, without hope, simply reacting to life and what it throws at him. As he says to himself at the end of Chapter 38, "He would create some disasters of his own". When you have some small amount of control over your own life and a goal to attain, then you have the ingredients to keep striving.

c. Ah, the dilemna of Elizabeth. Jack is smitten with her. He has a crush on her. She is an attraction but not a love. Jack still thinks of Jenny though, and Jenny still thinks of him. Despite being apart, they seem drawn to each other. That may be love, but can it survive the separation. On the other hand, I don't think that Jack was the slightest bit attracted to Elizabeth's money. Although Jack was impoverished for a lot of the story, he never quested for other people's money, only for fishing and friendship.Rachel, good answers to all questions.

Kayleigh K, you had excellent answers to all three of these questions, but especially B. Well done.

Katie C, the purchase of the lobster by tens was the earliest foreshadowing of an important fact that will come to light in the next couple of days. If fact, in Germany buying tens is much more common than buying dozens. In answer to your question about the bear in Flu Shot and the dog in this book, I did not design them to be alike. In Flu Shot, the bear was hovering in the background occasionally appearing and was really a metaphor for how dangerous nature can be when disturbed; think of global climate change now. The dog was an example of how good deeds can come back to your benefit far in the future, and was a metaphor for good triumphing over evil. Good question.

Well, we're on the home stretch. I promised you an exciting ending... and where is Jenny?