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What aspects of Dystopian control is being presented in your novel?  How are the characters handling them?  Do any of these aspects of Dystopian Control resemble conditions happening in our world today?

The type of Dystopian control that is being presented in my book is corporate control. My main character, Cia, thinks that the government and the testing will help her be successful, but in reality, not everything is good about the testing. According to Cia’s father’s beliefs, after the testing, the student’s memories are erased and then they start having nightmares. The aspects of corporate control don’t really resemble conditions happening in our world today.

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Describe the setting of your Dystopian novel.  Is it similar to anywhere you have visited, viewed, read about, heard about?

The book takes place in a location called Five Lakes Colony. It is one of the only places that are still inhabitable, outside the Colony, the world is corrupt and dead. This place is very similar to another book series I have read, The Maze Runner. In the third book of this series, the setting is inside a huge futuristic city that is surrounded by walls. The walls are there for protection against the outside world, deadly diseases are wiping out the entire human race.

Pg. 3 “Today, I trail behind my family as we walk the almost five miles to the colony’s community square. Square is really the wrong word, but we use it anyway. It’s shaped more like a turtle with an oval center and some appendages to the sides. There is a beautiful fountain in the middle that sprays clear, sparkling water into the air.”

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What theme topics are you seeing in your novel?  Explain a bit how your protagonist is reacting to these topics.

One theme topic that I am seeing the most in my book is friendship or family connection. My protagonist, Cia, really loves her friends and family. She cares so much about them and didn't want to leave them for the testing.

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What are the common ideas taking place in your novel? In what ways do the common ideas effect your characters choices or actions?

One common idea taking place in my novel is self-responsibility. My main character, Cia, was told by her father to trust no one. Her father was also chosen for the testing, most of his memory from the testing was wiped. Cia’s father knows that other students will do whatever it takes to come out on top.

My father tells me he loves me, too, and reminds me in one last whisper, “Cia, trust no one.”

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Thinking back to the aspects of the Hero's Journey that we studied during the Odyssey,  What are some of the elements that are also utilized in your novel and with your protagonist?

Some elements that are also used in my novel and with my protagonist, Cia Vale, are how each of the characters has to overcome many obstacles in order to survive and how the character changes over the course of the story. For example, Cia needed to survive all of the stages of the Testing. The Testing is a series of deadly and challenging tasks, Cia got much more mature and more careful when it comes to decision making. The Testing results will determine who will move on to the University and move on. In order to be chosen for the testing, a student must do very well in school. This is very similar to the Odyssey because Odysseus was forced to survive many things in order to reach his home.

When the clock hits zero, I stand with my bag on my shoulder and the small black gun in my hand. The side of the metal box swings open as a recorded voice says, “The fourth round of Testing has now begun.” P.147

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What social commentary do you think your author was making with this novel?  What is the author saying or warning about today's world?

The author is warning today’s world not ruin the world by having war and nuclear attacks. In my book, nuclear warfare caused the world to go corrupt and most places could not be lived in. Luckily, some scientists were able to figure out how to reverse the effects and make more places inhabitable.

"The plants and leaves become greener, the trees less twisted, the grass and water more plentiful as we get closer to our destination. Marker of revitalization. My arm aches, but the signs of our goal being so near help me ignore the pain and fatigue." P. 276

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In the Dystopian Elements handout, there are six examples of conflicts the protagonist/main character might got through.  These are not the only conflicts the character might encounter, but just a start.  Identify at least one internal conflict your main character is experiencing.

My main character, Cia, feels trapped. She feels this way because she has not been chosen for the testing. She thinks that she will have to fix farming equipment for the rest of her life. P. 18

"Kip Drysten's team repairs farming equipment. While I like working with mechanical things, the idea of repairing broken down tractors for the rest of my life is depressing. "I'll think about it," I say.

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Describe the main character of your story. Include both physical traits and personality characteristics. Do you like/dislike this character? Why? Include one quote from the novel to describe your character.  Include the page number you find the quote on.

My main character, Cia Vale, is a short sixteen-year-old girl that is smart but she doesn’t give herself enough credit. Cia has always wanted to prove herself by being chosen for the testing and getting into the university. I like Cia because she is smart and she cares about her future. Also, she has strong connections with her friends and family.

Pg. 5 “You think I won’t get accepted.” My father frowns. “I think you’re smarter than you give yourself credit for. You never know who the search committee might pick or why.”

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What and how are your protagonist resisting? Is he/she experiencing success or roadblocks, and how is the success or roadblocks being handled?

My protagonist, Cia Vale, is resisting to trust most people. She has decided she can trust her classmates from Five Lakes Colony and some other people. Cia has experienced success so far in the testing, she passed the first two sections and now she is on the third. Cia is excited that she has passed the first two stages of the testing, it has been very stressful and tiring for her.

Finally, she smiles. “Congratulations. You have passed the first round of Testing.” Relief fills me.

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What aspects of the Dystopian society are found in your novel?  What statement is the author trying to make by utilizing that particular aspect?  What is the change that your character/s are attempting to bring about?  Do you think they will be successful and if so, will the change bring what they hope?

One aspect of the dystopian society is how the citizens of this society worship the concept of the Testing. The citizens rely on the results of the Testing to choose the society’s future leaders. My characters are trying to change how kids die while attempting to complete the Testing, they think the punishment of death is way too harsh. I do not think that my characters will be successful because the people that run the Testing Center have too much power.

“End her candidacy? Inside I am icy cold. An official in purple informs us my room is read, and Dr. Barnes gives my shoulders a squeeze. I smile and tell him I’ll be fine and that talking to him made me feel better. I hope he can’t see the lie. Because while his tone was kind, I heard the indifference in his words. To him, this was just another test. One Ryme failed. If I am not careful, I will fail too.”

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In what ways has your protagonist changed and evolved?

My protagonist, Cia Vale, has matured greatly. Cia has been through a lot of life-threatening situations since being sent off for the Testing; this has caused her to make smarter and more careful decisions. Some of the decisions she has made helped others survive, if she didn’t make the correct choices then she would have been the cause of her friends’ deaths.

“Trusting Will was a poor choice. I will choose more wisely in the future. As I answer, I am constantly aware of Dr. Barnes’s eyes studying me, weighing every word.” P. 302