SuitabookThe Crossing
Gary Paulsen
- Reading
- Read alongside Manny’s decisions, pausing when the crossing begins and when the stranger appears. Afterwards, revisit which dangers were visible, which were uncertain, and whether the ending changes your judgement.
- Themes
- Unequal opportunity and migration: Manny competes for coins in Juarez and seeks a better existence across the bridge in Texas. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Risk, trust and survival: Manny passes searchlights and border patrol while trying to decide whether an older stranger is an ally or an enemy. The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether the danger feels purposeful to the story and whether Manny is treated with dignity rather than reduced to his hardship. You may also want to discuss what makes a choice genuinely free.