Journey to the River Sea

Choose two characters from Journey to the River Sea and discuss how the natural landscape of the Amazon and their interactions with it shapes their development.

Some common elements of adventure stories are a hero’s journey, quests, suspense and surprise, and an unfamiliar environment. Discuss how these elements are used to explore ideas about the process of natural discovery and the value of friendship. Use specific examples from the text to support your opinions.

Maia tells herself that “Fear is the cause of all evil” (9). How does fear affect the choices made by secondary characters in the novel (e.g., Clovis, the Carters, Trapwood and Low, Professor Glastonberry, Colonel De Silva, or Sir Aubrey Taverner)?

Compare and contrast the portrayal of three different parent-child relationships in the novel, even if the characters in question are not related to one another. What qualities make a good parent? How does parenting or the lack of it affect a child’s perspective of the world?

After the successful caper in which Clovis and Finn swap places, Colonel De Silva calls Maia a “heroine.” How does Maia transform in the novel through the structure of the hero’s journey? Consider her call to adventure, meeting a mentor, tests, allies and enemies, ordeal, and reward.

The novel explores how a person’s perspective of place affects their experiences. Discuss this idea in relation to the novel’s portrayal of its settings of the Amazon, Manaus, and England.

Journey to the River Sea is categorized as children’s literature and often portrays children making choices in difficult situations. What lessons does the novel offer about courage in the face of challenges?

What is the effect of the humor and comedic elements of the novel on its portrayal of human greed and exploitation?