Compare and contrast Calliope and Callie. What happens to Hal and how does his character move the story forward?ħ. Who is the parrot and what role does he play? Does the parrot have control over Caden? Why or why not? What does his death symbolize in the story? Hal is another key character in the story. The story has a number of pivotal characters.

Does group therapy work for him? Why or why not? In what way does Caden feel betrayed while in the hospital? Trace the development of one central idea in Caden's real world and the world in his mind.Ħ. How does Caden feel about being in the psychiatric hospital? Describe his time there. What parallels can you draw between Caden's visions about the ship and the captain and Caden's life? For example, what role does Caden's lack of preparation for a science test play in the vision in which he is branded? Identify and discuss the meanings of other parallels.ĥ. What steps do they take to try helping him? In what ways do school officials try to help him?Ĥ. Discuss the changes that Caden's family and friends notice in his behavior. Note the times when the story slipped into second-person narration, and when it came back to first person. Are the captain and parrot allies? Why or why not? What fears does the captain have about the crew members? How does he elicit Caden's assistance?Ģ.

Describe Caden's relationship with the captain and the parrot. Laurie Halse Anderson, award-winning author of Speak, calls Challenger Deep 'a brilliant journey across the dark sea of the mind frightening, sensitive, and powerful. A captivating novel about mental illness that lingers long beyond the last page, Challenger Deep is a heartfelt tour de force by New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman.Ĭaden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the Marianas Trench.Ĭaden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd behavior.Ĭaden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence to document the journey with images.Ĭaden Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his head.Ĭaden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny.Ĭhallenger Deep is a deeply powerful and personal novel from one of today's most admired writers for teens.

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