Runner

Chance and Melissa regularly express criticism of the United States government and how it addresses the September 11 attacks and the ensuing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Research real-life criticisms of the War on Terror and connect them back to Deuker’s novel.

How does Brent Miller symbolize the simplified narrative that developed after September 11? Why does Chance think of him as a “really bad actor in some really bad war movie” (10)? Whose story is he perpetuating?

Given that Chance is skeptical of US militarism in response to 9/11, what motivates him to consider enlisting in the military? How does his motivation differ from Brent’s?

Chance’s dad names his boat Tiny Dancer, after a popular song by Elton John. Does this allusion have thematic significance? How does the song relate to either the boat’s role in the novel or the relationship between Chance and his dad?

Unpack the relationship between Chance and his dad. How and when does it fluctuate, and how does it support the major themes?

What factors influence Chance’s choice to accept the offer from the “Fat Man”? How does he rationalize the danger he places himself in and the potential harm he may be doing to others?

What kind of character is Melissa? How does she try to be Chance’s friend? How does she express her activism? What moments turn her into a romantic interest?

There are many other suspenseful novels where young people find themselves in dangerous situations, including John Feinstein’s Last Shot (2005) and Robert Cormier’s The Chocolate War (1974). Compare Runner to such a book. How do the authors build suspense? How do the characters face their precarious situations?