Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks

At the beginning of the story, Denise, the main character, was driving along the highway on the way back from a doctor's appointment for Kyle, her son. There was a major storm just trailing behind them. It was like a race on the highway just trying to keep ahead of it. As it was raining, a deer came across the highway. Denise tried to stop but her car slid off the road. She knocked her head on the steering wheel and became unconscious. Her son aware that they were in trouble got out of the car and headed into the woods on the edge of the highway.
Taylor, a volunteer firefighter, saw the accident and was on the sight within minutes. After Denise woke up, he became aware that her son Kyle was missing. There was extra help within minutes. They immediately began looking in the woods because that was the only shelter nearby. Denise had warned them Kyle would not respond to anything they called because he had speaking disabilities which is why they were at the doctors earlier that day. She also said Kyle hated storms. It was completely dark in the woods and flashlight would only allow a person to see a few feet.
At the end of the search, it was Taylor that found Kyle because of his pure instinct and ability to think like a child that hated storms and wasn't afraid. Kyle was near a duck structure that would provide him shelter and a way to escape the wind. He was transported to the hospital with Taylor because that is where his mother was sent because of her injuries.
As the story progresses Taylor and Denise develop a relationship. Taylor's friends pray she will be the one and she won't end up like Taylor's past girlfriends. Taylor begins pushing Denise away. He tends to help women in need without realizing it and once his help his done he leaves. He does this because he lost his father to a fire when he was little boy and he blames himself. It takes his best friend's death for him to realize what he was doing and how much he really loves Denise.

1. Why do you think Taylor's father's death affected him so much that it affected his life in such a big way?

2. I mentioned Kyle had a learning disability, how do you think he was treated by other parents and kids in the story?

13 comments:

Brandon Messner said...

1. The death of a loved one will often bring about very powerful and confusing emotions. Because Taylor loved his father so much, he developed these emotions when he died and these emotions led him to change the way he lived.

2. I would think, based on personal experience, that Kyle was treated by others in a way that those people were over-concerned and over-aware. In other words, they were very noticing of the fact that he was different and did not think of him as a human being.

Ashley B. 1-2 said...

I agree with both. That was a big part of why Taylor volunteered. He wanted to try and like make up for what happened with his father. Kyle was seen that way throughout the story.

Abby M. 1-2 said...

1. I definately think that Taylor's father's death would affect him in a huge way and change how he lived his life. The relationship between a parent and a child is an extremely strong one, and to loosee that at such a young age would definately affect the rest of a person's life. Also, because Taylor was so young and impressionable when his father died, it probably even affected him more than he knew at the time.

Nicole H. 7-8 said...

I agree with Abby. The connection between parent and child is very strong and to lose that as a child is very hard. Love, being a powerful emotion, can impact a person's life and is Taylor's case, change it.

Sydney M 7-8 said...

2. I think that other people saw Kyle as being different like Brandon said. People treat kids with disabilites differently than others.

Anonymous said...

1. The death of Taylor's father affected him so much because he loved his father and the fact that his father died would stay with him forever and perhaps change the way he lives.

2. Other kids and parents probably gave him special treatment because they felt bad for him and didnt know how to handle it.

Natesa W. 7-8 said...

1. Losing a loved one at such a young age will affect anyone. The fact that his father was caught in a fire pushes Taylor to be an even better firefighter and his father is always in the back of his mind.
2.Kyle was probably not treated very fairly. People always tends to overlook others with certain disabilities. Adults probably treated him with extra care, but never really understood him.

Millie W. 7/8 said...

1) Probably because your parents are your biggest role models growing up, you love them and respect them. So they would make a big influence if they were to die.
2) He was probably treated with either delicacy or as if he couldn't do anything. Many times people don't realize that just because you have a learning disability it doesn't mar you as a person.

AnaleeL7-8 said...

1. I believe it affected him so much because losing anyone that is close to you can be extremely difficuly ecspecially a parent

Unknown said...

1. I think it affected him because he believed it was his fault that his father died and maybe he thought he was a bad person and did not deserve a good life.

Sarah N. 7-8 said...

1. I think that at such a young age they are easily impressionable. Any death can affect someone, but even more if it is a parent. I think because he was so young he began to feel that everyone in his life could leave at anytime, which is a possible reason he pushes women away.

Ashlyn W. 7-8 said...

When someone dies, especially someone that is close to you, it causes a lot of grief and will make you very upset. I think that this is why Taylor's father's deawth affected him so much.

Ashlyn W. 7-8 said...

2. He was probably treated differently than other kids were treated in the story. When a kid has a learning disability, a lot of times they are given extra help and care.