This is a page for demonstration, and should not be used for educational or informational purposes. Thanks
User:Robins bird talk 16:40, 3 April 2023 (UTC)
Over a year has passed and now this page gets a new assignment.
User:Robins bird talk 23:05, 9 April 2024 (UTC)
"27. Design and build a web page or site (or PowerPoint) about your book; include a synopsis (don’t give the ending away!), introductions to main characters, and other information and graphics/images to “sell” your book (e.g., convince others to read it). **___ ______ does not care for this option.**"
IRP 2nd Project
editFile:There is no free image of the cover that I can use, so just Google what it looks like. | |
Author | Neal Shusterman |
---|---|
Cover artist | Kevin Tong [1] |
Language | English |
Series | Arc of a Scythe |
Genre | Novel (Science fiction and Dystopian Fiction) |
Published | 2018 |
Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | |
Pages | 512 |
ISBN | 9781442472471 |
Preceded by | Scythe |
Followed by | The Toll |
Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman is a novel directed toward young adults, which provides a distinct mindset of risking death and the concept of rebirth. The concept that questions what is life without the risk of natural death, leaving our fates in the hands of selected, honorable harbinger of one's demise.
The book focuses on three main characters, two of which were introduced in the previous book as the protagonists, and one new character. The two returning characters, Rowan Damisch and Citra Terranova, have lives that collide more frequently than the other, Greyson Tolliver who is later known as Slayd Bridger and Brother Tolliver.
Main Story/Conflict
editIn the beginning of the story, we see Rowan on the run from the scythedom authorities as he takes on the new title of Scythe Lucifer, which likely a reference to religious denotation that ties the name to a "fallen rebel archangel, the Devil"[2], and he finds a new purpose in life as the taker of bad faith scythes' lives. In the prior book, Rowan was under the apprenticeship of Scythe Goddard, a blood thirsty, highly powerful scythe who abused his heavy influence to glean (the word for a final death) massive amounts of innocent people despite a specific limit and moral code. Goddard had multiple underscythes, like disciples, who would support and assist him throughout his gory endeavors. Rowan went through brutal training sessions during his apprenticeship and gained new skills that were not taught by his previous mentor.
Scythe Lucifer and Scythe Anastasia both spent their beginning time as an apprentice under Scythe Faraday, an Old Guard (followed a conscience-based, ethical take on ending lives for good and viewed as an old-timey outlook on scythehood by the New Order scythes that followed Goddard) who had a high mental burden, a past of deep reflection, and a scandalous romantic involvement with another scythe, which is strictly forbidden. The two apprentices are the first to be under the same scythe at the same time, and during a conclave (scythe meeting) were to have some sort of if one-wins-the-winner-kills-the-other. Faraday commits a self-gleaning (the only way out of being bound to scythehood), which is later discovered to be a fake death to live his own life and free his apprentices before their initiation. This, however, does not work. The two apprentices were separated and now under two different mentors with the same conditions. The rising action of the prior books then goes on to show that at the initiation, Citra punches Rowan in the mouth, which causes Rowan to receive immunity from gleaning (her ring, a scythe ring, provides a year of guaranteed gleaning safety.) Rowan then ran away, leaving his story to be told in the next book while Citra became Scythe Anastasia.
Citra and her mentor, Scythe Anastasia, resided in a small, secluded home where Citra was being taught how to drive. Becoming a scythe, Citra had to choose her gleaning method, and she chose a humane way that challenged her to locate her targets. She offered the target a month to get their bearings and to choose a gleaning method. The target was injected with a fluid that would kill them if they tried to leave MidMerica (renamed continent) or didn't follow up with the scythe. The hassle of locating and aptly preparing the death of the subject was tedious, but it lessened the guilt Anastasia felt when gleaning. Scythe Curie and Scythe Anastasia were practicing driving down their home's road when a man jumped in front of them. This man wasn't so much of a man, more of a young teenager, and he jumped in front of the vehicle just in time to make Anastasia stop. There was a trip wire located barely in front of the vehicle that would set off a massive explosion, which would permanently kill the scythes.
Greyson Tolliver, who was attempting to be a Nimbus agent, received the tip that the scythes would be in danger. He risked his entire future to save these scythes, however he was pronounced deadish (dead, but can be revived) and was sent to the hospital before the scythes new what was happening. This stunt to save the scythes deemed him as unsavory (a criminal) and he was forced to meet with a probation officer. Being an unsavory meant that he could not speak with the Thunderhead, he was shunned by society, and he had a large "U" on his ID everywhere he went.
Greyson's probation officer, Traxler, was the same man who gave Greyson the tip about the scythes who were in danger. The Thunderhead, being the direct influence of the officers, had to have something behind this. Greyson was told to indulge in the unsavory lifestyle by Traxler. He could potentially learn about the threats to Scythes Anastasia and Curie with his new unsavory status. Greyson soon was invested in the unsavory life, dubbing himself "Slayd Bridger" and meeting a girl in an unsavory "club". Her name was Purity, and she was fully unsavory, with terrible schemes and odd body modifications. Greyson fell in love with her and they spent time together. He later found out that she was hiding a secret about who was trying to end Scythe Anastasia and Scythe Curie.
While Greyson was becoming unsavory, Scythe Anastasia and Scythe Curie were on the run. Their paranoia and fear of being caught was fueling them to be nomadic. Soon, Scythe Anastasia and Scythe Curie finished a gleaning, which proved to be vital to the story.
Rowan's father was gleaned due to his gleaning of scythes, but the informer was his childhood friend, Tyger. Tyger was a party boy, usually wasting his life at some scythe celebration and entertaining guests. He showed up at Rowan's apartment and made himself a sandwich. Rowan was startled by his appearance and feared he was being tracked.
The story contains multiple parts and each are extremely interesting.
Scythe Anastasia/Citra Terranova
editCitra Terranova, now known as Scythe Anastasia due to her position as a scythe, is one of three main characters we follow (not including excerpts from the Thunderhead) throughout the story. She lives with another major character, Scythe Curie, and they are on the run for most of the book.
Personality
edit- Tries very hard to appear as older than she really is
- Struggles with authority
- Tries to keep a good conscience while gleaning
- She overthinks and doubts her own knowledge consistently
- Appears as very intelligent to those around her
- Somewhat self-deprecating humor
Scythe Lucifer/Rowan Damisch
editRowan Damisch, who was rejected as a scythe but granted immunity by Citra, is somewhat a scythe. The Thunderhead considers him a scythe, but the scythedom does not. He was under Goddard's teaching during the second portion of his apprenticeship, which brought out his more aggressive and brutal side.
Personality
edit- Brave and selfless
- Highly introspective
- Struggling with internal reflection
- Very strong traits and guidance
Greyson Tolliver/Slayd Bridger/Brother Tolliver
editGreyson Tolliver is a dynamic character who consistently is reevaluating his status. He's lost as to who he is, and he struggles with his conflicting identities. Over the story, he lives as himself, Slayd Bridger, and Brother Tolliver. Slayd Bridger is an unsavory whom he portrays during a important part of the story. He then becomes Brother Tolliver after seeking shelter with the Tonists (the last religious group, which follows a tuning fork and the "Great Resonance" as guidance.) He seems to almost believe in the religion when his world changes again quite vastly.
Personality
edit- Mildly lost
- Is more aggressive and witty as Slayd
- Passive as Brother Tolliver
- Sheepishly defiant as himself
- Struggles with identity
- Has strong morals and grapples with right and wrong
Bonus Information
editCome back to the article once you've read through it and hit the pencil icon that says something under the lines of "View Source Code" or "Edit Source Code" (if you have a Wikipedia account) and see the background of making the page.