A Brief Summary
Back at work, Chris asks Jack
about his previous evening with Michelle, but Jack struggles to tell Chris the
truth. As he notes, “... this is something friends talk about” but he finds it
difficult to discuss. This reminds the reader just how difficult it must be for
Jack to adjust to normal life.
As they are driving in their
van to another drop off, a deer rushes onto the road and causes the car in
front of Chris and Jack to brake hard. The car loses control and careers off
the road, smashing through a fence and sliding down a steep bank. The two men
pull up and rush to the battered car to find a young girl in a child seat who
is not breathing. Jack remembers first aid training from his time in prison and
resuscitates the girl, ensuring she is breathing and alive. He is congratulated
by the arriving emergency services who tell Jack that he “almost certainly
saved the girl’s life”.
The chapter closes with a
rush of positives. On their return to the depot Jack and Chris are cheered as
heroes and Jack is described as feeling an unusual “sense of belonging”. When Terry
hears about Jack saving the young girl’s life he is full of excitement,
suggesting that “that’s someone saying you’ve been forgiven”. Even his previous
failures with Michelle are righted as they spend a fulfilling night together. The
chapter ends on an unusually upbeat note.
Points for consideration:
- There is positive imagery through the second
half of the chapter: “His prayer is of thanks”; and Chris and Jack sit “In
the sunny garden of a pub” but can you find some bleaker tones even in the
last few pages of this chapter?
- “The policemen shake Jack’s hands after they
have congratulated him”. What thoughts do you imagine Jack would be having
at this moment?
- Throughout the chapters after Jack’s release
from prison events are described in the present tense. For example in this
chapter, “They jump out and run to the car” rather than “They jumped out and ran to the car”. How does
this use of present tense add to the reader’s experience?
No comments:
Post a Comment