Red Kayak

Carl picks Brady up for a movie night. At the video store, they run into J.T., who seems anxious and upset; he tells them that his father is still stick, and that he's unable to donate a kidney because of his age. Brady takes pity on him and tries to discreetly let him know that he's disposed of the drill.WhileCarl and Brady watch Blade Runner, however, Brady finds himself feeling uncomfortable: "It did bother me, though, how those futuristic replicants with their limited, four-year life spans, desperately wanted to live longer. The whole movie was about getting 'more life,'and it got to me after a while" (158).

As Carl takes Brady home, they talk about the upcoming watermen's protest. Carl isn't sure whether Brady's father should go, since things might "get nasty," but acknowledges that"It’s a tough issue. The new regulations are hitting those guys hard. Crabbing’s their livelihood…they don’t know anything else" (159). When he drops Brady off, he reiterates that Mr. Parks should be careful.

Brady goes out into the butterfly garden; he's worried about the protest and his family's financial future, as well as J.T.'s father and the DiAngelos. He thinks again that he might have made the wrong decision about the drill, and wonders in what way the butterfly garden is supposed to symbolize hope: "But did [Mom] mean hope for us? For her and Dad and me? Or hope for Amanda? Did she think Amanda’s soul could live on somehow? And if Mom believed that, then what about other kids who died? Like

Unlock all 90 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,500+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App

+ Printable PDF

+ Literary AI Tools

Unlock Full Library