CHAPTER SUMMARIES WITH NOTES

CHAPTER 6

Summary

In this chapter the doctor asks Adam if he is feeling distracted. Meanwhile, Adam is thinking about how he is able to step outside of his head and maybe go other places too. He is able to forget something, but he does not know what. T asks if he has taken his medicine, then postpones the session.

Notes

In this chapter we encounter what seems to be a developing theme of medication as a crutch to escape oneÂ’s problems. In the opening chapter Adam says that he did not take his medication because he wanted to make the trip with no crutches. At the time it is unclear if the crutches are figurative or literal. The more we read the book, the clearer it becomes that they are figurative. Every time Adam appears distracted or confused, T recommends medication. It seems that this medication in an alternative to actually facing oneÂ’s problems.

However, once it become apparent why Adam is being medicated--we realize it is not him trying to escape his reality, but the government trying to manipulate his reality.

CHAPTER 7

Summary

At the opening of the chapter, Adam is terrified by a German shepherd that is guarding what he thinks is an abandoned house. He is approaching it on his bike, feeling like it is just the two of them. The dog grabs the front tire of his bike and he is terrified. Adam thinks that if he makes it through this he will take the first bus back home. As he rounds the corner, Adam comes very close to a car that begins honking its horn. The dog becomes distracted by the car and begins to chase it. Although the dog leaves him, as he travels, Adam is fearsome that the dog will pursue him forever.

Notes

In this chapter we must be suspicious of AdamÂ’s account of the dog. We must remember that he has not taken his medicine this day, and from the intermittent conversations between him and T, we know that he has a psychological problem. Whether or not the incident with the dog actually occurred, we can interpret it as a metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison between two seemingly unlike things with out using like or as (when you use like or as, that is a simile). In this case, Cormier is creating a metaphor between the ferocious dog, which is ready to attack and whatever AdamÂ’s problem is. Adam appears paranoid most of the time. By using the dog, Cormier is showing us that Adam is afraid something is lurking around the corner, ready to get him.

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