The Running Dream

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2011

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Part 3, Chapters 22-24Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 3, Chapter 22 Summary

Jessica calls Gavin’s house but keeps getting the answering machine. She finally leaves a message that includes her phone number, then feels foolish every time the phone rings at her home. She sees him at school the next day, but although he comes over to talk to her briefly, he is focused on Merryl. Hurt, Jessica avoids Gavin for the rest of the week.

Her walking skills have improved so much that Jessica begins to leave the cane behind. Then Jessica receives more bad news: Coach Kyro tells her that Gavin’s newspaper article only brought in forty dollars in donations. Discouraged, Jessica shares her sadness with Rosa in math class, and Rosa sends back inspirational notes to lift her spirits. Jessica wants “to believe that I’ll run again” (205).

Part 3, Chapter 23 Summary

Watching her teammates board the bus after school for an away meet, Jessica can’t help but wonder how any of them can get back on a bus after what happened with the accident. But then she acknowledges that as time passes, “memory must be fading” (207). But for her, the crash always feels like it happened just yesterday, and Jessica doesn’t believe that will ever change.

Part 3, Chapter 24 Summary

Hank is thrilled with the progress that Jessica has made on the prosthetic. Once again, he measures the components of the leg and makes adjustments where necessary. Hank mentions that he saw the article in the paper and is convinced that Jessica will run again at some point. Despite Hank’s enthusiasm, Jessica has a hard time feeling positive about her situation.

Part 3, Chapters 22-24 Analysis

Jessica receives some lousy news both in the form of Gavin and Merryl as well as Coach Kyro’s notification that Gavin’snewspaper article only brought in forty dollars. Depressedby this information, Jessica’s spirits are lifted by Rosa’s positive attitude and compassionate notes. While watching her teammates board a bus for an away match, Jessica marvels that they seem to have moved past the tragedy of the bus accident, while she is still stuck in the past, feeling like the accident just happened yesterday. At the clinic, Hank is exuberant about the progress Jessica has made with the temporary prosthetic, but Jessica has difficulty finding the positive in the visit.