81 pages 2 hours read

Paolo Bacigalupi

Ship Breaker

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2010

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Chapters 6-11Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 6 Summary

Nailer awakes to wind and rain pouring into the door of the shack as the storm roars up the beach. He hurriedly gathers up his few belongings and then tries to wake his father. His father won’t wake, and Nailer contemplates leaving him to his fate. The storm is a “city killer,” a storm strong enough to wipe out the beach and even drive wrecked tankers up onto the shacks. Moving his father will endanger Nailer’s life, taking valuable time that Nailer needs to evacuate inland. Nailer grabs his belongings and turns to leave. At the door, however, he changes his mind. Cursing his foolishness, Nailer sets out in the storm to find Sadna and Pima for help.

Pima and Sadna’s shack has already blown away, but they are still on the beach, struggling to tie down a skiff. When Sadna sees Nailer, she yells at him to help Pima with her side of the skiff. Nailer helps in spite of his hurt shoulder, but when the skiff is tied up and Sadna tells him to run inland for shelter, Nailer says he can’t leave because his father won’t wake up. Sadna tells Pima to guide Nailer to the rock shelter higher up; she herself runs to rescue Nailer’s father.

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By Paolo Bacigalupi

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Paolo Bacigalupi
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Paolo Bacigalupi
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