The Wild Robot Protects

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2023

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-20

Chapters 21-40

Chapters 41-53

Chapters 54-80

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Background

Authorial Context: Peter Brown and The Wild Robot Series

Brown has a deep appreciation for nature and the environment, and this passion is reflected in his Wild Robot series. In the series, the natural world plays a central role in the story and the character development of the protagonist, a robot named Roz. Brown’s love for nature is evident in his vivid descriptions of the wilderness and his portrayal of the animals that inhabit it. In book one of the series, The Wild Robot, Roz, then ROZZUM unit 7134, washes up on the shore of an uninhabited island after a shipwreck. Roz learns to adapt to her environment by watching the island’s animals use their instincts for survival. In the second book in the series, The Wild Robot Escapes, after RECCO robots capture Roz and send her to work on a farm, Roz must earn the trust of two human children to help her escape the farm and return to her island. Using the survival skills she learned on the island, such as camouflage, Roz’s journey takes her through nature and into a bustling city. Through his writing, Brown encourages readers to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and the importance of preserving it for future generations. Brown has always been fascinated with wildness in humans and animals and first intended to study biology and zoology in college. However, Brown is also fascinated with technology and science fiction, which led to his inspiration for a story about a robot living in the wild.

To research for his books, Brown studies nature and robotics documentaries. For The Wild Robot Protects, Brown viewed the Blue Planet documentary, which gave him both informational and artistic inspiration for the story. Brown begins writing his books by story mapping to visualize his thoughts. This leads to a plot outline, which eventually morphs into a draft. Brown is both the author and the illustrator, so once the book is complete, he can immediately begin planning the illustrations instead of waiting to send them to an illustrator. The Wild Robot books are illustrated novels, not picture books, as the artwork is sprinkled throughout the text. Brown employs various illustration techniques, from small illustrations to two-page spread illustrations. Brown’s illustrations tell the story visually but also highlight the importance of the natural world in the stories. For example, when Brown introduces a new animal or creature into the story, it is accompanied by an illustration. Also, each time Roz encounters a new landscape or ecosystem, Brown illustrates Roz in that environment (Sharp, Colby. School Library Journal. “#197 Peter Brown- THE WILD ROBOT PROTECTS Unraveled.” The Yarn, Spotify, 2023).

Scientific Context: Red Tides

In The Wild Robot Protects, a mysterious, silent killer threatens the island in toxic water the animals call a “poison tide.” Brown’s fictional poison tide is based on an event known as a red tide. Brown’s conception of the poison tide emerges from an underwater mining operation that releases toxic minerals into the water to sea creatures. Like a red tide, Brown’s fictionalized version illustrates how a naturally occurring element can still be dangerous and even deadly to the environment.

A red tide is a natural occurrence caused by an abundance of algae in the ocean, mainly single-celled organisms known as dinoflagellates. These algae can multiply quickly in specific situations, such as warm water temperatures, sufficient nutrients, frequent agricultural runoff, and calm seas. The term “red tide” might be misleading, as the water affected by these algal blooms can seem red, brown, green, or even purple, depending on the kind of algae involved, with the color resulting from pigments in the algae cells. While not all algal blooms are dangerous, some red tides can release chemicals that threaten marine life and humans. These poisons can accumulate in shellfish, such as clams and mussels, and later be swallowed by humans, resulting in shellfish poisoning. In addition to the apparent health dangers of eating contaminated shellfish, red tides can endanger human health by inhaling aerosolized poisons. When waves crash on the shore, they can discharge chemicals into the air, which beachgoers can inhale, and cause lung discomfort and other health problems.

Red tides can have a considerable economic impact, particularly in locations where fishing and tourism are major industries. Fish kills and tainted shellfish can result in financial losses for fishermen and seafood companies and a drop in tourism due to water quality concerns. Red tides can also harm marine ecosystems because the dense concentration of algae depletes oxygen in the water as it dies and decomposes, resulting in fish deaths and other negative consequences on aquatic life. Red tides are an inherent feature of marine ecosystems. Still, their frequency and intensity can be influenced by human activities such as nutrient pollution, which can worsen the conditions that cause these algal blooms (Hall, Danielle. “What Exactly Is a Red Tide?” Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 2023).