The Dark Ground

Notes & Analysis

Event Analysis | Quote Analysis | Character Analysis | Questions to think of
Summary Pg. 1 32 Two scenarios are described, taking place in the same dark ground where children seem to have been lost. Cam, Zak, etc: large group of people staying near a ravine. Robert: Was in a plane with family, went to bathroom to brush teeth, weird stuff going on with reflection, and randomly wakes up in a kind of forest, naked and alone. After making arrangements (shelter, food, clothes), realizes that the plane might have crashed. Finds fur blanket sewn by human in his burrow. It does seem likely that the plane crashed and brought Robert to this place. The fur blanket was probably sewn by humans who stayed in the place for a longer time than Robert did (not from the same plane crash). Zak: disobeying rebel Cam: like a leader; dominant; doesnt like to look weak Robert: Smart and adjusting; independent; clever to pick out things for his usage and survival; optimistic Remember he said again. The sound was relentless. Unbearable. (6) There were some painful memories in the past that were not to be remembered. Something terrifying had once happened, that shouldnt have been recalled. The rush of fury took him by surprise, but it was her fault for talking nonsense. Its just like a photo. What did she mean? A photograph was just an image flat colors on a piece of shiny paper. There was nothing behind the surface. What they could see through the window was completely different. It was real (9) Robert had a unique point of view toward the world. He had a different understanding of the real nature around. Analysis

Why is/are the helper/s trying to hide their identity, while helping him secretly? Pg. 32 55 Cam & the others live in a cavern. Cam notices that fur is missing. Lorn had secretly kept it in Roberts burrow. The others are probably mad at her because they dont want to involve another human

Cam and all the others were mad at her. Robert finds a fruit in his burrow. Seems like Lorns determined to help him despite her groups fury and has empathy towards him. Robert almost catches her the next time she comes with a bundle. She runs away leaving it behind when she sees him. She comes again that night to get her bundle back. He catches her and bargains with her to show him her settlement for the bundle. She takes him to the ravine, where she nervously asks him to be quiet and give her the bundle. She then crosses the ravine through the spanning tree trunk and Robert, in quest of finding the others, follows her. He is slower, and as he crosses the trunk halfway through, a giant bird suddenly attacks him. Pg. 56 67 A gigantic bird attacked him as he lay on the bark. Robert tried to throw himself off, into the ravine, but the bird clawed at his legs, injuring him badly, lifted him into the air and dropped him at a different point. It was heading straight toward his prey, to attack him, when Robert grabbed a stick and started jabbing the birds eye with it. The bird screeched and stabbed him back with its beak. Just as the birds attention was diverted from Robert, he rolled away dropping deeper and deeper into a cavern. Once he was in the cavern, he headed for the openings far above him. As he got out of the opening, he realized that he was inside a gigantic tree. As he looked across the rift between the leaves, he realized that he was in the park across the street from his home. And he was small. Much too small for the tree to look regular sized.

into their group. Perhaps they dont have enough supplies for a new person, or there was something special about them that they didnt want others finding out. Robert is homesick, would do anything to find other humans around him and to get back home. Cam: attentive, in-charge, knowledgeable Zak: Imaginative, story-teller, respected Bando: Inattentive, foolish Lorn: Caring, thoughtful, nimble, fast

A glaring, gelatinous globe gleamed black and yellow (56) Alliteration of gl sound. and looking straight down now the normal, ordinary, middle sized oak tree where he was sitting (62) He realizes that the oak tree is not extraordinarily gigantic, but in fact he was miniscule. Water was easy. The strange heavy dew of the first night appeared again on the second evening. And the third. (36) The due was probably so heavy and regular as it was really water from the sprinklers.

How did he end up suddenly from a regular plane in the air to a tiny Robert in the park in front of his own house?

Pg. 68 107 Back in the cavern, Nate and Perdrew return with the news that the boy had stopped midway through the bridge and had been caught by the bird. Cam blames Lorn and indicates that the reason they didnt take him into the group was because they couldnt cope with any more losers (fools, like Bando). They seem to be familiar to the situation of being captured by a bird. Cam: a little egotistical; changes to caring and generous Robert: Sensible, brave, learner Nate: Helping, caring (helped Robert: fire)

Though everyone was nice to Bando, they found it hard to cope with him and didnt want more fools like him in the group. However, they were generous enough to keep Bando and be so pleasant to him. Cam felt her breath stop as the memory

Robert decided to climb back down the tree to go and find Lorn and her group. Realizes that the ravine was a ditch. He finally reached there and when he called for them, three from the group took him to their cavern. They took care of him, fed him and treated him until he became fit enough to do the routine work that everyone did. One day, the group (Zak, mostly) decides to perform a kind of ritual. He plays the drum and they do some things with leaves like silkskin. They then ask Robert to introduce himself, and as he does so, he gets flashbacks of memories from home. While the others want him to change to become one of them and forget about everything, he simply opposes them saying that hes going to go back to his home. Zak then tells a story. Pg. 108 140 Cam and Zak secretly have a discussion about how Robert is the one. While Cam wants to deny it, Zak convinces her that its time for her to go with him. Nate secretly wants to go back home too. The entire group then has a joint discussion where Robert helps them figure out the map of the area theyre in. They seem to have approved of him going on the journey back. But Zak wanted Robert to have a taste of what it was like outside. Robert struggled with his wounds as they travelled merely to the patch of short grass from where he could see his home. Zak disappeared for a second into the darkness to give Robert the lesson of fear. Perdrew and Lorn were still against Roberts decision. Cam announced that Zak and she were going to join Robert and Nate to go on the journey. The entire group helped them to prepare and they left as soon as it stopped raining.

came at her. The moment of knowing. It was the memory shed been holding back that theyd all been holding back ever since theyd seen the boy fall out of the sky. (70) Robert after all did fall out of the sky; perhaps from the plane? Why were they holding back the memories because of Robert? Why was Zak so well-respected and considered so crucial in the group? Why did the others not want to go back to their homes?

Robert: Risk-taker, bold, harsh Lorn: affectionate, cowardly,

Mentioning that Robert is the one, it seems that the group had earlier never had members brave or knowledgeable enough to travel back home, though they all secretly wanted to go back. Since Zak knows so much about the world outside, it seems like he has been on ventures out trying to make his way back home. Why do you have to be so stupid? Robert snapped. Why dont you stop acting like a baby and pull yourself together? He didnt care how loudly Bando bellowed back. He needed an excuse to yell at someone. (111) Robert was being a little harsh on Bando, but he was frustrated and wanted to get back home. He could have possibly done it to get attention as well, so that someone would talk to him about his intentions to leave. We dont remember. We look forward. (112) Mostly the whole group was pessimistic. They believed that rather than risking their lives to go ahead and get back their better life styles, they should forget about everything and start a new one. Cam: knowledgeable, brave Nate: caring, sweet

Pg. 140 190 The four were faced by a bird on the second day of

their journey. They passed it skillfully by staying still. Another day passed as they made it to a block of trees. Meanwhile, back at the cavern, it was weird and lonely without Cam and Zak. Everyone was worried about the travelers and they made a model of their journey with 4 marbles representing them. At a point in their journey, Robert gets discouraged realizing that it would be almost pointless to get back home, considering his size. The others encourage him and act as supporters and good teammates. They find a snail and collaborate to kill it. Another monstrous creature was about to attack them when Robert fought it and the others helped to scare it off. They all celebrated in triumph. The next day, Nate took great care of Robert as he became sick. In the morning, as the group was making its way across a river, with Nate a little behind, Nate was attacked and suddenly killed by the creature they had scared off the other night. The rest of them hesitated but ran for their own lives on Cams orders. Pg. 190 230 As they kept travelling, they finally reached the street which they had to pass to get to the houses. It looked like a huge lava ground to cross. They waited for the right time and crossed the street late at night, turn by turn. They adapted a smart strategy in which they counted so as to keep track of how often cars come by. When Cam was almost spotted by the night bird, Robert distracted it. When they got to the other side, they slept amongst marigold flowers in the front yard of Roberts house. Robert decided to climb the tree in front of the house and get to the window. When he got there, he tried to get his mothers attention, while she in turn, thinking hes a bug, flicks him off. Meanwhile, back in the cavern, Bando and the others were concerned about Lorns health, as she was too small to survive in the winter. Lorn likes Robert and misses him. Robert feels hopeless after what happened. However, his teammates give him support. Cam tells Robert that he must be the new leader in the cavern, as she wont last too long. Before starting on the journey back to the cavern, Robert wants to give one last attempt at seeking attention from his family members. He and his mates work hard to create a picture using the marigold flowers and a special flower that Robert remembered of Emmas likes.

Working together and encouraging each other, the four were a good team. They had now even begun to treat Robert truly like one of them. When she came to the last the black one something made her hesitate. She weighed it in her hand reluctantly, looking down at the dent. (189) Immediately Bando was horrified at what hed done. He raced off down the cavern to get the stone back. But they couldnt find it anywhere. (190) Symbolizes the loss of Nate from the group.

Cam: sensible Robert: reliable, loyal, firm Emma: nave, generous, sweet

The relationship between Robert and Lorn seems sweet. They both like each other. Robert wants to help Lorn and pay back for all that she had done for him.

Though he has a breakdown, he sensibly decides not to give up and do his best when he has the opportunity. Cam is proven to be wrong the journey was not pointless after all.

He then sees the giant Robert coming out of the house. As he notices him, he bends down to touch the tiny Robert. As their hands touch, the small Robert sees everything else shrinking and comes back to his normal size, while the other Robert disappears. Emma is astonished but tries to ignore everything and behave like it never happened. When Robert tells her everything, she decides to assist him to help the others in the cavern. They take supplies down.

Does Lorn survive? What is to happen of the relationship between Robert and Lorn? Do Cam and Zak make it back home to the cavern? Can Robert help the others to get to their own homes?