Plot I
point of view of this story
first person
Three actions that are forbidden:
the identity of "ASHING"
statue of George Washington
the wonderful things John sees in his dream about New York City, and the horrible event he sees in the dream
He sees lights, cars, airplanes, a busy city, etc.
He also sees the "Great Burning" or explosion of a nuclear bomb
the motif of the story
fire and burning
the protagonist
John
three signs that move John to go east during his journey
an eagle flies east; three deer go east; he kills a panther with one arrow
the identity of the "ruins of a great temple" with a roof "painted like the sky at night"
Grand Central Station
the climax of the story
He sees the dead "god" and realizes they were ordinary human beings just like him and his people
similes
John's people
the Hill People
name of the Great River
Ou-dis-sun (Hudson)
identity of the "bronze door that could not be opened, for it had no handle"
elevator door
John's father's advice about sharing John's discovery of the dead god
truth needs to be revealed a little at a time
"it was a squirrel's heap of winter nuts"
metaphor
John's tribe's enemy
the Forest People
two myths about the Place of the Gods that are not true
the ground is not burning; there is no wailing of spirits; there is not enchanted fog
the "washing place" in the Dead Place
sink
John's explanation of why the people in the old days perished
They ate knowledge too fast
"it [the river] gripped my raft with its hands"
personification
John's destiny
He will be a priest one day like his father
living things in the Place of the Gods
cats, dogs, birds, butterflies
the "cooking place" in the Dead Place
stove
John's plans at the end of the story
He and his people will rebuild and make a great city just like New York
the irony of John's quest and discovery
He had to break the rules to make a great discovery