50 pages • 1 hour read
J. L. Esplin96 Miles
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Highway
The kids must walk along State Route 318 both literally and figuratively. The highway symbolizes the journey John must take to mature and learn about himself as he comes of age.
John has new discoveries and learning experiences as he treks to Brighton Ranch. For instance, John is reminded of the importance of being kind despite the challenging situation. He allows Cleverly and Will to come along, which will prove essential to his ability to reach Brighton Ranch and get Stew the help he needs.
The desolate highway journey reveals that John misjudged Will and Cleverly, who are much more assertive and helpful than he initially gave them credit for. He also realizes he’s been misjudging Stewart’s depressed mood and allows himself to reflect on what Stewart must be going through. He suddenly understands his brother’s emotions: Stew has been craving John’s attention. He wants John to ask how he’s feeling, rather than making decisions without him. John realizes that acting in his brother’s best interest does not mean dragging him to Brighton Ranch; instead, it means listening to him and accepting what he says. The shift in John’s relationships with Stew, Will, and Cleverly illustrates his growth and maturity.
Even though John reaches the destination of Brighton Ranch, the novel does not end with a final return to the Lockwood home and John and Stew reuniting with their father. Esplin suggests that this resolution is coming soon, but ends before things return to normal. This parallels how life does not have picture-perfect happy endings. Although the worst of the blackout is over, John will still face crises and hardship in his life. Coming-of-age means facing challenges, knowing that friends and family make both the good and the bad of life worth living.
Battle Born Motto
The Nevada State motto of “Battle Born” comes up several times in the novel and encapsulates the self-reliance that Mr. Lockwood teaches his sons. Stew explains to Will and Cleverly that the phrase does not mean that one is always successful; instead, it means that one should persevere despite failure and adversity. The four kids demonstrate a Battle Born spirit as they move forward in spite of fatigue, discomfort, dehydration, hunger, and fear. Calling their club the Battle Born bolsters the group’s morale and forges unity.
The Nevada motto also triggers some of John’s panic attacks. He associates the phrase with the morning his father left and reprimanded him for using the Nevada State flag disrespectfully. This reminds him of the pressure he faces to save Stew. It also reminds him that he is missing his dad; he doesn’t want their last conversation to be one in which he disappointed his father.
The Battle Born motif relates to the theme that Kids Can Do Hard Things. As a young person, it’s easy to feel like adults are the ones who make decisions and take care of you, but adults may not always be around. They also may not make the best decisions and need help themselves. John, Stew, Cleverly, and Will illustrate that young people have the ability to persevere and act when needed. The Battle Born motto reminds children that they are more capable than some may think.
Sound
Esplin often uses sound as part of her sensory description. For example, she uses sound to suggest that people often take basics like water and electricity for granted, and don’t appreciate them until they’re gone.
When the blackout begins, John says how strange it is when background sounds like the air conditioner and dishwasher suddenly stop. This implies that he took these devices for granted to some extent until they were unusable. Esplin uses onomatopoeia—where words derive from the sounds they are associated with—to show the reader the sounds she describes: “Whirl, whoosh, buzz” (32).
John also notices sounds when he and Cleverly approach the reservoir. The atmosphere changes as they walk from a desert landscape to an oasis. As they near the water, the air feels and sounds different. John especially notices the sound of cicadas, which, he points out, ironically have a sound similar to that of electricity. Access to drinking water is not often a matter of concern to people in the modern world, yet Esplin points out how precious this everyday resource is. Not only does it sustain human life, but also plant and animal life. Its presence and absence creates contrasting landscapes. The human need for water is so strong that in the novel, people go to great lengths to get it.
Esplin’s descriptions of sounds help draw the reader’s attention to resources that are often underappreciated and adds to the reader’s sensory immersion.
