Blood
You might have noticed that there is a lot of blood in this novel. Spouts of blood, sprays of blood, gouts of blood. Buckets of blood. So, what's with all the gore?Bleeding Noses and HeartsMost obv...
Vehicles
This book is filled with things that go. Vehicles are everywhere, from Jack's obsession with getting a car, to his Dad's J-3 wartime surplus airplane, to Mr. Spizz's giant kindergarten tricycle. So...
Food
There's a lot of growing, making, and sharing food going on in the book. Jack's mom and Miss Volker both provide meals that nourish people and also help maintain the community's bonds. Food and nou...
Guns and Bullets
In Dead End in Norvelt, guns have extraordinary levels of responsibility attached to them. They can be used to kill people (as in war), defend your home, or even to feed a family through hunting. T...