Bridge to Terabithia is a story about a lonely boy, Jess Aarons, who grows up in a house where he is the only boy surrounded by four sisters and his mother. His father is there but always gone either working or looking for work. His greatest hope is to become the fastest runner in the fifth grade. All summer long he practices running but on the first day of school, he gets beat by the new girl, Leslie Burke. At first, she repels him. However, they soon become inseparable. Leslie and Jess are complete opposites. Jess is scared of a lot but Leslie is fearless. Leslie has imagination and inspiration and Jess envies that. L

The plot of the story is episodic. Each chapter contains its own dilemma. The plots range from chapter to chapter. In chapter two, Leslie is the antagonist who defeats Jess in the race, but in chapter five, Leslie is the protagonist, along with Jess, defeating the giants who are threatening Terabithia. Although Jess' view of Leslie change, she remains a round, but static character. Her personality throughout the story remains essentially the same, but it is Jess who changes and is the dynamic character.

ragedy strikes and Leslie dies. Jess must come to grips with her death and the world. Except now he has to do it alone.

Patterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. New York. Harper Trophy. 1977.

Symbolism is a literary element that stands out most in this novel. Patterson uses symbolism so well in this story. The title itself symbolizes Leslie. In chapter seven, Jess' thoughts bring this symbol to light.

Patterson also makes great use of foreshadowing, most notably in chapter eight. Jess, Leslie, May Belle, and Joyce Ann are sitting in the back of the pickup truck waiting for the rest of the Owens to leave the church when Leslie proclaims that she does not completely believe in the Bible. An alarmed May Belle asks "But Leslie. What if you die? What's going to happen to you if you die?"(85) We also see foreshadowing from Leslie herself in chapter nine. During a heavy rain spell, Jess and Leslie go to Terabithia and Leslie says "Methinks some evil being has put a curse on our beloved kingdom...For of a truth I perceive that this is no ordinary rain that is falling upon our kingdom." (90-91) Little do t

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Approximate Word count = 1100
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)