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Transcript

" Not the brightest star in the universe, not a numbers person, but you couldn't have everything you wanted and at least he wasn't a total washout.”

Explain this quote and what it signifies.

• Parent-child Bond:

Because Jimmy doesn't have a strong relationship with his parents he finds comfort in Killer and even Dolores

• Ethics of Messing with Nature:

Debate on whether it is ethical to interfere with the “building blocks of life" especially depending on motivation

1) Why is that, although Jimmy seemed to have spent more time with his father than mother, all can remember of his father are small details such as his “Adam’s apple, his ears, his hands,” etc?

2) What is the significance of Dolores in explaining the relationship between Jimmy and his parents?

3) The heated argument between Jimmy’s father and mother about the current scientific research of biotechnologies conveys what motive/purpose of companies such as OrganInc and Helthwyzer? How do Jimmy’s father and mother’s viewpoints vary? Explain.

4) What does the rakunk symbolize to Jimmy and the reader? How Jimmy's relationship with the rakunk important to compare with Jimmy's relationship with his parents?

5) Are Jimmy’s activities in the library significant? Is Jimmy’s newfound knowledge evident when he is Snowman?

Characterization of Jimmy's Parents

Plot

Explanation

Jimmy's mother and father forget his birthday and do not even seem to want to apologize for doing so. His mother also gets him kid’s pajamas and an old music disc. Neither of his parents pay attention to what he wants or likes. This characterizes Jimmy’s parents overall behavior towards him.

Rakunk in the bushes

Jimmy's 10th Birthday

• Jimmy gets along with animals, especially rakunks because of his relationship with Killer

• Does he like rakunks even though he doesn't agree with genetic modification and biotechnology

Tension between his parents

• Dolores was the only one who ever remembered and celebrated Jimmy's birthday

• Jimmy's mother forgot about his birthday

• Jimmy's father claimed he had a valid excuse for forgetting his birthday

• E-card from OrganInc was impersonal

• Jimmy eavesdrops on his parents heated argument about the purpose of these inventions and research

• Jimmy contemplates about how his parents do not know anything about him and how they were disappointed in who he was and he goes to bed

Details of his father

Jimmy's father gets a job at NooSkins

• Jimmy can only remember small details of his father (Adam's apple)

• Remembers more of his mother and Dolores than his father

• Did he purposely forget about his father? Did he not see his father much?

• Causes even more arguments between Jimmy’s parents

• Jimmy attends the HelthWyzer Public School and spends most of his time in the library watching old CD-Roms such as “Classics in Animal Behavior Studies,” featuring a parrot named Alex

• Jimmy brings Killer to school which gets Wakulla Price's attention

• Jimmy’s father spent longer hours at work creating skin-related technology

Chapter 4: Rakunk

Themes

• Placid- not easily upset or excited, calm

• Rakunk- genetically altered animal mix between a skunk and raccoon

• NooSkins- subsidiary of Jimmy’s family’s new biotechnological job at HelthWyzer, focusing particularly on genetic modification of skin

• HelthWyzer- the new biotechnology company Jimmy’s dad works for

• Cork-nut - word for almond created by Alex the parrot, also mentioned by Snowman

• HotBioform- harmful bacteria that causes disease

• Ebola (hostile bioform)- virus disease

• Marburg (hostile bioform)- hemorrhagic fever virus

Symbols & Patterns

• Rakunk- good relationship that Jimmy didn't have with his father

• Dolores- Mother figure

• "Cork-nut"- Jimmy's inability to articulate his frustration

• Jimmy recalling random phrases

• Wakulla Price- an attainable goal whose affection & attention he wins through the use of his rakunk

• Woman spraying guards with hemorrhagic- the first exposure to a harmful bioform. Even in a safe place there are harmful things

Study Questions

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