I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980

In the opening chapters, Tarshis deliberately begins the novel in medias res as a “teaser segment” and a suspenseful preview to the main storyline. These vivid descriptions of the future eruption foreshadow the protagonists’ struggle to navigate The Unpredictability of Nature. By immediately reinforcing the fact that Mount St. Helens will soon erupt, Tarshis shifts the focus to the unspoken question of how Jess and her friends will cope with this imminent ordeal. Tarshis’s description of the eruption aptly captures its intensity when the narrative states, “The eruption had shattered the mountain, and now a fifty-mile-wide avalanche of rock and mud and melted ice was taking aim at the valley below. […] It snatched up trees and boulders. It tore away bridges and swept away houses. It would destroy everything—and everyone—in its path” (3). These blunt descriptions and short, staccato sentences convey a breathless sense of urgency that contrasts with Jess’s idyllic initial view of Mount Saint Helens as the “most beautiful mountain” (11) in the area. In this way, Tarshis highlights nature’s volatility and enhances the story’s realism and suspense.

Meanwhile, Tarshis also introduces a smaller but equally suspenseful storyline about the legendary Skeleton Woman, as the quest to verify this story provides a credible reason for Jess, Eddie, and Sam to venture onto the mountain’s slopes. By contrasting this imaginary monster with the very real geological one that lurks beneath the seemingly peaceful forest, Tarshis injects an element of irony into the text, as it is clear that the three friends are afraid of the wrong threat. Likewise, the children’s increasing anxiety about the legend—although misplaced—nonetheless has the benefit of infusing the setting of the unquiet mountain with a sense of fear and foreboding. Although the “witch” with “wild white hair and coal-black eyes and rusted metal claws” (6) never appears to terrorize them, the abrupt shaking of the ground aptly foreshadows the true danger in store and suggests that the three friends will soon have to learn to show Courage in Times of Crisis.

In these passages, Tarshis also establishes Jess’s close friendship with her best friends, Eddie and Sam Rowan, and their solid, easy camaraderie indicates that The Power of Friendship will play a major role in their future struggle to survive. By describing the three children’s shared interests and long years of friendship, Tarshis shows that they have built a supportive and trusting bond marked by quirks such as a secret handshake and a willingness to launch into new adventures together. This mutual support gives the friends the courage to test themselves with a daring journey to Skeleton Woman’s shack, and Tarshis capitalizes on the use of dramatic irony, given that the title already hinted at an even more daring journey to come.

In these chapters, the author also adds detail about Jess’s background and family life in order to create realistic portrayals of the girl’s hopes, dreams, worries, and sources of grief. Because Jess lost her father in a car accident a couple of years before, the narrative suggests that the protagonist must struggle to be resilient during this difficult period of her life. Her concern for her mother demonstrates that she has the maturity to think beyond her own grief and take care of her loved ones, showing Courage in Times of Crisis. By adding in this layered family history that is fraught with complex emotional issues, Tarshis adds depth to the protagonist and suggests that she has the tenacity to overcome the challenges that she will soon face on Mount St. Helens.