The Other Side Of Nowhere By Jack Johnston Essay

628 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The effect of friendship

Question: friendship being the main theme of the novel, discuss the initial relationships that existed between the characters and how the added aspect of survival affected this.

In the novel The Other Side of Nowhere, Steve Johnston explores the power of friendship and teamwork in a survival scenario where Johnno, the protagonist, is shipwrecked on a supposedly uninhabited island with his younger brother Matt, childhood best friend Nick, and his cousin Georgina. Steve Johnston elegantly brings the relationships formed by these characters to the test through life threatening situations that challenge the characters both mentally and physically whilst unravelling the pre-existing tension between Johnno and Nick.

Steve Johnston describes the relationship between the characters through their shared history, and emotional states. Early into the novel, Johnston uses the past relationship between Nick and Johnno to establish their current relationship whilst identifying the moderate tension between them. “Old Nick would have laughed as soon as he saw George, but old Nick was gone.” This further elaborates on both of the characters personalities whilst also determining that their relationship had …show more content…

After discovering each other on the beach, the element of survival became a priority in their actions and with the previously established tension between Johnno and Nick, argument was inevitable. “When his blue eyes settled on me, my heart quickened. It was a challenge. It was a challenge to me.” This section clearly pinpoints the beginning of Johnno and Nick’s feud whilst identifying that Nick begun the initial argument after challenging Johnno during a group discussion. Despite the debate being resolved through a vote, the dispute further damaged the relationship that existed between them and affected the group’s ability to work as a

Show More
Related

  • Summary Of A Separate Peace By John Knowles

    796 Words  | 2 Pages

    Friendship is a necessity throughout life whether it is during elementary school or during adulthood. Some friendships may last a while and some may last for a year; it depends on the strength of the bond and trust between the two people. In the novel A Separate Peace by John Knowles, the main characters, Gene and Finny, did not have a pure friendship because it was driven by envy and jealousy, they did not feel the same way towards each other and they did not accurately understand each other.

    Read More

  • Napoleon Dynamite Friendship

    464 Words  | 1 Pages

    One of the ways Steinbeck shows the importance of friendship is through interactions between characters. In the

    Read More

  • Comparing the Women in Fifth Business and The Great Gatsby

    2006 Words  | 5 Pages

    Now this was the first time Jordan and Nick came into contact with one another, and it is said that the first impressions are extremely important. However, for a strong moral person like Nick, his reaction is surprising when he simply states, "I enjoyed looking at her."(pg. 27 ln 23)This is a sign of his first stages of development, which will soon result into what the author intended.

    Read More

  • SELF- IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR NICK CARRAWAY

    849 Words  | 2 Pages

    As much as generous and honest Nick Carraway is, he still needs a few important improvements in himself. Nick went to Yale, fought in world war one and moved to East of New York to work in finance. After moving to New York, Nick faces tough dilemmas throughout the story such as revealing secrets, and witnessing betrayal. His innocence and malevolence toward others was beyond his control. He did not have the ability or knowledge to know what he should have done in the spots he was set in. He seemed lost and having no control of what went on- almost trapped- but indeed, he had more control than he could have ever known. Because of the situations he has experienced and the people he has met, such as Gatsby, Tom, Jordan and Daisy, his point of view on the world changed dramatically which is very depressing. Trusting the others and caring for them greatly has put him in a disheartening gloomy position.

    Read More

  • Sinclair Ross's The Painted Door and Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Birthmark

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    The dilemmas, developed from the motivation, compel the characters to resolve their conflicts. In "The Painted Door", Ann is struggling in a violent tumult of mental and emotional anguish and trying to find importance in life. The conflict arises in her decision to gratify one of two goals; immediate satisfaction, sleeping with Steven, or long term satisfaction, the love and support of her faithful dependable husband. Ann also faces a conflict between a social need and an emotional need. Initially with John she feels she can't connect to society because "John never talks… [He] never danced or enjoyed himself" (Ross 160-162), however after sleeping with Steven her guilt leads her to realize that "John is the man…with him lay all the future" (174) and only with him can she be completely and emotionally fulfilled.

    Read More

  • The Painted Door - The Tragedy

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    Ann is justified in her decision to "sleeps" with Steven, John’s friend. John has not been paying much attention to Ann and he leaves her alone in their house with Steven. Ann also has prior feelings for Steven from when they where in school together. Ann felt that she is unimportant to John because he frequently leaves her alone; she states, "It isn't right to leave me here alone. Surely I'm as important as your father." Ann just wants to feel loved by John but because he doesn't make her feel loved. She sees Steven as the only person who can give her the love and affection she needs.

    Read More

  • Three Day Road Themes

    1748 Words  | 4 Pages

    Theme: Situations and surroundings can shatter the innocence of friendship, but more the identity of the individuals.

    Read More

  • Dishonest In The Great Gatsby Analysis

    1180 Words  | 3 Pages

    Nick often does not speak of himself but when he has, he has referred to himself as “one of the few honest people that (he) has ever known,” (Fitzgerald 59) but seems to act the complete opposite of said characteristics. Nick starts of the novel by saying “In consequence I am inclined to reserve all judgments,” but all he seems to do is just that, labeling Jordan liar when he, himself, is also a liar. Nick also tells of how shallow his “friends” are but he himself is shallow as well. Nick cannot be relied upon to practice what he preaches and therefore cannot be relied upon to write the complete truth. Nick’s hypocritical nature demolishes his credibility as a person, and therefore as a narrator.

    Read More

  • Rock Bottom In AJ Cronin’s The Citadel and The Stars Look Down

    1181 Words  | 3 Pages

    Joe finds himself in a doldrum of depression and confusion after losing his girlfriend, Jenny. Worse than just loosing her, he finds out that she left him for a another man David Fenwick a friend from the mine. He feelings are shown in this quote. “There she is out again with him today. It’s bad enough Jenny acting as she does but when its my best friend. I mean its more than flesh and blood can stand. I’d never have thought it a man like David Fenwick.”

    Read More

  • Who do you think is the hero of this novel Gatsby, or Nick Carraway?

    629 Words  | 2 Pages

    Nick is more of a spectator than an actor in the story. He is just an

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Morgan Scott Peck's 'The Road Less Traveled'

    1288 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many talk about the road less traveled; however, words mean nothing without the follow through of commitment. The rare person who is able to follow their true calling in life, must be totally focused on their goal and objectives without distraction, walks alone.

    Read More

  • Isolation In The Painted Door

    1589 Words  | 4 Pages

    When Steven arrives, they are isolated together in the house, which allows Ann to truly give into her attraction. However, she insists that John will return, saying “He always comes.” John’s isolation from Ann greatly influences if she chooses temptation or not. If John came back, she could not have the freedom to choose Steven, as they would no longer be isolated. She hopes John will not return home, worrying that “it really might be John at the door.” Ann actively desires the isolation with Steven, so she can give into her temptation, reassured that there will be no consequence. Initially, Ann insists that John will come back so she does not have to be alone with Steven. If she accepts that she is alone with Steven and that they are isolated together, there will be nothing stopping her from following her temptation, as she already gave into her thoughts. As the night progresses, her temptation makes her cave into choosing him. However, the final push was the reassurance that John was not coming back and it was just Ann and Steven, alone together. When she conclusively decides to act on her temptation, she sees Steven differently, realizing “his smile…there seemed a kind of warmth…instead of his smile it was she had changed.” Their isolation is the deciding factor. If they weren’t alone together, Ann’s temptation would not have taken control and would not have changed

    Read More

  • gatsby

    655 Words  | 2 Pages

    There is a point when Nick has to decide if he is living a lie or being as honest as he believes he is. Jordan’s parting words of, “I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward man. I thought it was your secret pride,” alludes to how dishonest a person she has become because she can’t understand truth when it is right in front of her (Fitzgerald, 177). Nick is not hurt by these words. Instead, it reinforces that he made the correct decision.

    Read More

  • Relationships in "The Girls in Their Summer Dresses"

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The story employs a dramatic point of view that emphasizes the fragility of human relationships. It shows understanding and agreemen...

    Read More

  • The Snob Character Analysis

    2286 Words  | 5 Pages

    When John sees his dad at the store, his internal conflict develops and this leads to his conflict with Grace. People in relationships tend to get into arguments with each other. It is a very realistic representation of his character. It would be unrealistic if a couple never argues. He accuses her of being a snob and this leads to the argument which is revealed when the narrator says, “They had never talked in this way, and now they were both quickly eager to hurt each other” (4). This illustrates that they were growing as a couple and were opening up to each other about their feelings. John finally lets his inner anger out on Grace and shows that he cares about her opinion on different matters such as how she views people from lower social class (3). John is a hypocrite since he calls Grace a snob when in reality he, himself is a snob because he is embarrassed of his dad’s lower social status. He is assuming that Grace would not like to be associated with him after finding out the truth. This is shown when he asks Grace, “You don 't like the kind of people you bump into here, … he asks recklessly, full of a savage eagerness to hurt her” (3). He is being naive for forcing his anger on Grace and not realizing the reason that is causing it. People tend to make foolish decisions when they are angry; likewise, John is trying to hurt Grace because he thinks he

    Read More

More about The Other Side Of Nowhere By Jack Johnston Essay

Open Document