53 pages • 1 hour read
Farley MowatLost In The Barrens
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1956A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Jamie is an orphan who finds a home with his uncle Angus and the family of Awasin family. Peetyuk is a boy in search of answers about himself who finds a home with Angus and the Cree. In what ways does Lost in the Barrens reveal the concept of found families?
How does the novel portray the clash between traditional ways of life and modern society? What message do you think the author is conveying?
What does the fawn demonstrate in Jamie and Awasin, and why is it vital to their understanding of themselves?
Analyze the friendship between Jamie and Awasin. How do their cultural differences affect their interactions and decisions?
How do Awasin and Jamie differ in their relationships with the natural world? How is this changed by the novel’s conclusion?
Denikazi launches several rescue attempts and offers his own life to pay for the loss of Jamie and Awasin. What do these traits mean in Denikazi, and what do they reveal of his need to remain friendly with the Cree?
Why does Mowat depict both the Inuit and the Denésuliné (referred to as Chipeweyan in the text) as friendly and welcoming people who both view the opposing group as violent and bloodthirsty?
Imagine you are Jamie or Awasin and write a journal entry or letter describing your experiences and reflections on your journey.
What survival mistakes are made early on that Jamie and Awasin learn from through the course of high-risk trial and error in the Barrens? How do their experiences challenge and transform them?
What does the novel suggest about human nature that despite the desolation and dangers of the harsh Canadian Arctic, human beings continue to war rather than cooperate?
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By Farley Mowat
