Essay Questions

What is the main theme in ‘The Ninth Metal’ by Benjamin Percy?

The main theme is family, which is rampant throughout the text. Hawkin lives with his parents, but the family is always chaotic because of the endless arguments. Hawkin's father is devastated and hopeless because he has lost his job. Satirically, his wife is working, and she takes that opportunity to ridicule her husband. According to Hawkin's mother, her husband is lazy and broke because he spent his money carelessly. Therefore, Hawkin's family is full of drama, and he is neglected most of the time because he misses school more often.

How paradoxical is Hawkin’s mother?

The protagonist's mother's actions parallel her religious thinking. For instance, the reader sees that the mother serves the church as an usher and teaches Bible studies. Similarly, the mother reads various religious books ranging from Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. Paradoxically, the mother uses the most lethal cigarettes. Therefore, the mother's actions and her Christianity values do not rhyme.

How does the author depict the sense of hearing to readers?

The entire text is full of conversations that engage the reader. For instance, Hawkins listens to his parents' arguments which help the reader to understand the difficulties that couples go through. Hawkin's parents' conversations are majorly about money. According to his mother, her husband has decided to be a lazy man who does not generate wealth. The father also argues that he is jobless, and he does not look forward to serving cheeseburgers to entice his wife. Therefore, these conversations depict hearing imagery, engaging the reader throughout the book.