45 pages • 1 hour read
John ChristopherThe White Mountains
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1967A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Consider the novel’s presentation of human civilization prior to the Tripods’ arrival. Does it romanticize the past or approach it with objectivity? Be sure to analyze specific examples.
Is there an inherent trade-off between freedom and security, or is it possible to obtain both? Draw on examples from the text to support your analysis.
How does Beanpole’s joining the group of travelers impact the relationship between Henry and Will? What does this reveal about competing tendencies toward friendship and rivalry?
Will struggles to maintain his friendship with Jack after Jack is Capped. However, he later manages to befriend Eloise despite the fact that she is also Capped. What might account for the difference in outcomes?
What connections exist between the novel’s themes and the Cold War?
Identify one or more literary allusions made by Ozymandias. How does the allusion illuminate his character or connect with the novel’s major themes?
Using context clues from the text, trace Will’s journey from England to the White Mountains (the Alps), identifying major landmarks along the way. How does researching his probable route impact your understanding of the novel?
What is the novel’s overall message about the relationship between biology and technology?
How does human civilization under the Tripods resemble life in medieval Europe, and how does it differ?
By the end of the novel, what skills, knowledge, or characteristics has Will acquired through his journey that will be most useful in seeking to overthrow the Tripods?
