The Fear Place

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The Fear Place

• By Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

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Summary

• The summary of the plot begins when a family of
  four go to a family vacation in the woods. Doug
  and Gordon do not have the relationship every
  parent wants for their children, these boys are
  always fighting, even though they are 12 and 13 ½
  yrs. old. When the parents leave to a family
  emergency, Gordon and Doug are left alone in
  their campsite. While they are there, they have a
  discussion about who takes out the trash next and
  they start a fight. After the fight, Gordon
  decides to leave their campsite to get away from
  his brother. A week passes and Gordon doesnt
  return. Doug starts getting worry after he
  founds out that people have seen a cougar nearby.
  He decides to leave and look for him. On the
  way, he spots the cougar and gets frighten. More
  ahead, he founds out that the cougar does not
  want to hurt him and so he names the cougar,
  Charlie.

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Continue

• To keep on looking for Gordon, the cougar and
  Doug had to pass through a very thin piece of
  land which included the biggest fear of Doug,
  heights. He knew he had to do this for his
  brother. At the end, he was able to make it
  without falling or turning back. After passing
  his fear place, he found Gordons stuff all over
  the floor next to his tent. Gordon was fine and
  alive, but Doug saw his brothers broken leg and
  decided to take him back to the campsite
  piggyback riding through the thin edge. Doug
  would do anything to get his brother back to camp
  safe. They were able to pass through the thin
  edge safe and had some luck on their way back
  which was help from a ranger. Doug helped the
  ranger put Gordon on his horse. Everyone got to
  the campsite safe and they were all going to be
  fine, because the ranger told the boys that their
  parents called and that they were going to get to
  the campsite that very night.

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Conflict and Resolution

• The conflict of this book is that the boys are
  left alone at the campsite and start a fight. The
  boys decide to split up and Gordon, the oldest
  leaves. He doesnt come back within a week
  because he got injured and cant come back, so
  Doug goes out to look for him. On the way over
  there and on the way back, he has to pass through
  a place that he fears the most, a thin piece of
  land.

• The resolution of the conflict is that Gordon
  saves his brother and helps him go back to the
  campsite. On the way back, he gets help from a
  ranger that was looking for them. The ranger had
  found them by a note that Doug posted on their
  tent. Doug was pleased that he had thought of
  leaving a note just in case it was needed and it
  was a huge help to the ranger.

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Characters

• Gordon (older brother)
• Doug (younger brother)
• The Mom
• The Dad
• The Ranger

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Setting

• At the beginning of the book, the family is
  taking off in an airplane, so a small part of the
  story is taking place in an airplane.
• The setting of this book takes place in the woods
  at Comanche Park Wilderness. It is like a place
  in the woods where people can camp with their
  families, according to the book.

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Theme

• I think that point that the author is trying to
  make is that never leave from home or where you
  might be because you might get lost and your
  family may not be able to find you or maybe there
  isnt a point and the author just wrote this book
  to entertain people.

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Devices Used

• Flashbacks The author uses flashbacks when Doug
  remembers the last time he was at that campsite
  and found his fear place.
• Foreshadowing Doug foreshadows that he going to
  fall when passing the thin edge.

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Genre

• This book is full of suspense. The author wrote
  the book so that the book has suspense in various
  places such as where Doug has to pass the thin
  layer of land to get to his brother. She also
  puts suspense when Doug is carrying Gordon and
  she writes that part as if they were going to
  fall.

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Background Information About The Author

• Phyllis has enjoyed writing short stories since
  she knew how to write, which would have probably
  been during her first year in elementary school.
  When she was sixteen, her first book was
  published. Phyllis was decided to go to graduate
  school, but her enjoyment of writing made her
  decide to make her writing, full-time. On a
  daily schedule, she writes about six hours each
  day. She now lives with her husband in the state
  of Maryland. She does have children, but they
  are all grown-up.

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My Opinion On This Book

• This book is one of the best books I have read. I
  recommend this book to people who likes
  suspenseful books. There are many other books
  that Phyllis has written and I hope to read some
  more of her books.