chasers: alone #1 by james phelan rgg
DESCRIPTION
The trip of a lifetime just turned into the end of the world.When Jesse crawls out of the wreckage of a subway car and emerges into daylight, he’s greeted by a living nightmare. An unexplained force has destroyed New York City, turning skyscrapers into ash, cutting off all power and communication. Jesse and his new friends, Dave, Anna and Mini are dazed but unhurt. The other survivors are not so lucky. Every human being they encounter is infected, gripped by an unquenchable thirst that drives them to monstrous acts of violence. Somehow, Jesse has to escape. But first, he has to stay alive.From childhood’s hour I have not been As others were; I have not seen As others saw; I could not bring My passions from a common spring. From the same source I have not taken My sorrow; I could not awaken My heart to joy at the same tone; And all I loved, I loved alone. —from “Alone” by Edgar Allan Poe then ...TRANSCRIPT
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Discussion Questions
1. Jesse comments that he thinks New YorkCity is too lonely, even before the explosion.Do you think it’s possible to be lonely withso many people around?
2. Discuss the personality traits of Dave,Anna, and Mini that we get to see. Do youbelieve they’re memories of Jesse’s friends ordo you think they could represent aspects ofhimself?
3. At one point, Jesse compares his situationto war, thinking, ‘I didn’t know whichwould be worse—being in a country whereyou might get blown up at any second, orbeing here, with unknown freaks that chasedyou.’ Do you feel like one is worse than theother? If so, why?
4. Being alone is obviously a large theme inChasers, both literally and figuratively. Jesseeven mentions that he was alone sinceBarbara moved in with them. Discuss theloneliness in Jesse’s life and the developmentshe’s made through the novel.
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228 Discussion Questions
5. Go back and analyze Jesse’s interactionswith his friends. Do you—or did you—pickup on any clues that they were only in hismind?
6. Why do you think Jesse gave the boywater near the East River and 25th Street?What do you think it means that he saw himagain in Central Park?
7. Talk about the significance of Daveleaving to scout the city. Was this when Jessefirst started to separate himself from hisfriends, or did that not happen until later?
8. Anna and Mini reference a lot of booksand movies, respectively. What importancedo those specific titles bring to yourunderstanding of the novel? Have you everread or watched any of them? If so, did thereference enhance the meaning to you?
9. Talk about apartment 59C in 30 Rock.What’s the significance of the door, thetypewriter, the note? How do they influenceJesse?
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