Ship Breaker

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bacigalupi, Paolo. 2010. SHIP BREAKER. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316056212

      2.  PLOT SUMMARY

      This science fiction book tells the story of life in a desolate future about a hundred or more years from the modern era. The story is set on the Gulf Coast in a town of workers that primarily scavenges old oil tankers and ships for remaining parts such as copper wire. Nailor is a teenage boy who works as a scavenger along with other children his age in a group called the light crew. These young men and women are responsible for gathering enough scavenge each day to meet the quota assigned by their leaders or risk losing their job. Although working on a light crew is dangerous, dirty, and grueling, without this job, circumstances would become even worse. One day, Nailor stumbles across a wrecked ship that has enough scavenge to make him independently wealthy for life. He is surprised to find one survivor, a young woman named Nita, still on the ship surrounded by precious gold and silver. Nailor must decide between killing the girl to save his new found wealth or risking everything to allow her to live. Nailor decides to make a deal with the girl to spare her life. He hopes to gain even more wealth in the form of a reward from her clan. This plan is quickly thwarted by Nailor's own drunken father and several other leaders of the scavenge community. Ultimately, Nailor, Nita, and Tool (another member of the community) escape the torture of Nailor's father in hopes of finding Nita's people. The group travels to The Orleans in search of the ship Duantless, which Nita believes will hold members of her clan that will be willing to pay Nailor a reward. In the end, the two must once again defend themselves from Nailor's father who has seized the ship Polestar. Finally, Nailor must kill his own father to save his life and Nita's. Nailor is not able to alter the circumstances of all scavengers, but he is able to provide a comfortable living for himself, Nita, and a few close friends.  

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The reader quickly learns to sympathize with Nailor, the main character, as he struggles to stay alive in a tank of oil he finds while scavenging for supplies. It is immediately apparent that Nailor will have to fend for himself when Sloth, a co-worker, refuses to rescue him when given the opportunity. "He sucked air, flooding his lungs with shining clean oxygen, starved for all the life he'd been sure he'd lost" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 35). While celebrating with Nailor for surviving this nearly disastrous event, the reader begins to root for Nailor as he faces other dangerous situations. Undoubtedly, the reader witnesses a marked change in Nailor throughout the progression of the story. Nailor shifts from constant distrust to nearly falling in love with a member of another class of society. Nailor learns to evaluate a person based on the heart rather than the possession or lack of material items. 

Bacigalupi constructs a highly creative plot in this dystopian story of life after nearly all natural resources have been carelessly wasted. Nailor and others close to him must fight off several villains and face daunting situations as they seek to improve their living conditions. Nailor's first battle is with his own father, Richard Lopez. Nailor and Nita must escape Richard's drunkenness and abusive nature to save their own lives. Later in the story, he must battle him once again when they cross paths with the ship Polestar. Another villain Nailor must stave off is Blue Eyes. The plot is made even more interesting as the reader experiences the inner conflict Nailor feels as he is forced to kill Blue Eyes to save his own life. "A shiver of fear washed over him. He'd killed things before. Chickens. That goat. But this was different" (Bacigalupi, 2010,174). Bacigalupi strengthens the plot by sending Nailor, Nita, and Tool, on a journey to find members of Nita's clan who can pay a reward for saving her life. Bacigalupi forms this quest in a series of logical steps from catching a train, finding a job in the city, and finally escaping to safety after defeating Nailor's father.

The setting is primarily located in a coastal town on the Gulf. The reader gains a glimpse of this area early on in the story. "Bright Sands Beach stretched into the distance, a tarred expanse of sand and puddled seawater, littered with the savaged bodies of other oil tankers and freighters" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 6). It is through this description that the reader begins to understand the horrid living conditions Nailor is surrounded by even though this story takes place years in the future. Although one would hope the future would be hope filled and bright, it appears as though the dystopia Bacigalupi writes about has gone in an entirely different direction. Bacigalupi further enhances the setting with his vivid descriptions of the dangerous work of Nailor and others on the light crew. One example states, "He hit liquid, warm and viscous. Blackness swallowed him with barely a ripple" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 21). Bacigalupi engages the senses so the reader feels as though he or she is sinking down with Nailor into the deep, dark oil. 

The reader can assume the Gulf town where Nailor works as a scavenger is located not far from present day New Orleans, as this is the main city reference in the book. The reader is first introduced to this city as the train pulls into the area. "At last the jungles parted, opening a wide expanse where the trees were lower and the height of the train gave them a view.  Even from a distance, the city was huge. A series of needles, piercing the sky" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 200).

The primary theme in SHIP BREAKER is the importance of loyalty. Loyalty is first highlighted in the trust the crew members place in one another. Nailor reminds Sloth of the commitment they have made to one another as he pleads for her to rescue him from the oil tank. "'We're crew,' he reminded her. 'We swore blood oath'" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 28). This phrase is repeated throughout the novel as the characters remind each other that they are indeed "crew" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 28). Loyalty is also seen in Nailor's relationship with his abusive father. Even as a hurricane approaches, Nailor pleads for help to rescue his drunken father. "'My dad!' He waved back at his own shack, a shadow still miraculously upright. 'He won't wake up'" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 65). Though Nailor's father has caused him immense pain and suffering, he refuses to allow the hurricane to take his father's life. 

Another example of loyalty may be seen by the care and commitment Nailor shows to the girl, Nita, he rescues from the wrecked ship after the hurricane. Although she is extremely wealthy and considered a high class "swank girl," Nailor remains devoted to her throughout the remainder of the book (Bacigalupi, 2010, 108). Nailor eventually kills his father to save himself and Nita. "Nailor's body shook with revulsion. He gave his father one last look then turned away, limping for where Lucky Girl lay bound" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 310). In the end, Nailor's loyalty for Nita trumps his loyalty to his father.

Bacigalupi uses a unique style in writing this work of science fiction. Distinct language is characterized by terms specific to the futuristic setting of the book. Words such as "swank" and "crew" are used to identify classes of people and their economic status within society. "Swanks were different. They came from a different place, lived different lives" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 210). These social rankings appear to carry great weight within this society. Additionally, Bacigalupi creates new terms such as "half-men" to describe a new breed of humans that were part human and part animal, "creatures mixed from a genetic cocktail of humanity, tigers, and dogs" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 212). Furthermore, Bacigalupi creates a specific language and attitude for the crew that contrasts with the more cultured and groomed language of that of swanks such as Nita. Bacigalupi uses figurative language to enhance the imagery of the story. Bacigalupi describes the great storm that hits the coastal town as people scramble for protection. "Shadow people clawing out of the darkness, hunched against curtains of wind and water as they dashed for safety" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 63). This vivid writing style allows the reader to feel as if he or she is in the midst of the storm preparations. Personification allow the ships to come alive to Nailor. "The ships whispered promises of speed and salt air and open horizons" (Bacigalupi, 2010, 46). Although Bacigalupi has created a world that is unfamiliar to present day readers, his clear descriptions draw the reader into this changed world from the beginning. 

4. PERSONAL RESPONSE: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

I personally found this book somewhat unappealing due to the strong language and violent killing scenes. Some reviews even mentioned the fact that this book is borderline between young adult and adult fiction. As a parent or teacher, I would recommend reading this book alongside your student or child so an open discussion of the sensitive material can be maintained.

5. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

"A fast-paced postapocalyptic adventure set on the American Gulf Coast." (SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)

"Vivid, brutal, and thematically rich, this captivating title is sure to win teen fans for the award-winning Bacigalupi." (BOOKLIST, starred review)

"This thriller will grab and keep readers' attentions as Nailer and Nita 'crew up' in their fight to survive." (HORN BOOK, starred review)

6. CONNECTIONS

*Students could read another science fiction book related to the future.

*Students could write a personal response about how they would have reacted in Nailor's dilemma between saving Nita or keeping the wealth of the ship for himself. 

*The dire circumstances in this book are attributed to global warming and inefficient use of natural resources. Students could research ways to conserve resources and prevent global warming.