Explain three challenges Jackson faces in the story, and how he responds to them. How does Jackson face these circumstances individually, and how do these challenges intersect and build on each other?

How does the physical environment function like a character in the novel? Explore how Alaska influences the plot, mood, atmosphere, pacing, and characters’ choices.

Jackson sees, learns about, or interacts with diverse Alaskan people, animals, and Indigenous cultures throughout the book. How do these interactions shape his understanding of place and community? Choose one specific group and explain its significance to Jackson’s character arc. What can this group teach him that others cannot?

How does the contrast between Jackson’s old environment and his new experience in Valdez reveal the influence of setting on identity formation for young people? Would Jackson’s character development be possible without his new setting and experience attending school? Why or why not?

How does the author use small moments like conversations, memories, or routines to communicate bigger ideas about family and belonging? Choose two scenes from the novel to analyze in your response.

How does the author explore the tension between self-sufficiency and vulnerability, especially in relation to gender or cultural expectations of “toughness”? How do characters, including Jackson, balance independence with interdependence, and what internal or external pressures shape their ideas of what it means to be brave?

How do adults in the novel influence Jackson’s perception of responsibility? Choose two adult figures and compare how their actions or advice guide Jackson’s actions throughout the text.

Make a Venn diagram comparing yourself to Jackson. Consider similarities and differences in opinions, personalities, lifestyles, and experiences. Use these notes to write a comparative paragraph about how you and Jackson are alike and dissimilar.