9/6 “Top Man”

Nace

Osborn

Older Cautious: traverse instead of the steep, wait another day or two Rational: he always has a reason for his decision (sleeping bags, 2 vs. 12 hours of sun) Knows what he’s doing (experienced): 6^th time on K3 (knows they must go the slow way because Furness died because too tired at the very end) Leader: makes good decisions, helps people, tells what to do, all respect him, all listen, take his advice over osborn’s Excellent climber: fast and perfect when he rescues Osborn, jump to save 6—thinks fast Quiet English Kind and respectful Slow, cautious, steady climber When necessary he climbs fast Calm, a little depressed: Captain Furness Methodical Thinker Wears the mountain down (59) unemotional

Younger Risk taker Spur of the moment Decides based on appearances, not deep thought (ledge, and hard snow) Fast paced, strong Annoying: always pushing Self centered: doesn’t take into account others Kind of a leader: don’t take his advice, doesn’t think of the group, but they do all look up to him Excellent climber: twice as fast as anyone else, famous worldwide Has some experience on other mountains Loud, obnoxious Rude: easier for him, 57-maybe Furness wouldn’t be dead Full of energy: raises spirits of others, happy Goes on gut feelings, not logical thought Attacks head on (59) Emotional: hot head, anger and frustration

The ending: Nace dies saving Osborn’s life after Osborn gets stuck (climbed against Nace’s command). Risks own life, sacrifices own life for Osborn.

Osborn still has the gall to try for the top. Comes down says he “I couldn’t make it . . . I didn’t have what it takes.” 66

Second party makes and finds Martin Nace’s axe at the top (from John Furness). Osborn really did make it but denied to the narrator and gave Nace all the credit for making it.

Osborn doesn’t seem grateful that Nace saved him, but in the end we can see that he did. The near death experience and Nace’s sacrifice changes Osborn drastically. He doesn’t take the credit, he gives to Nace. “I didn’t have what it takes” means that he now knows that he couldn’t have made it without Nace, but Nace could have made it without him. He realizes Nace’s superiority and gives him the honor he deserves, what Nace wanted more than anything: the credit for conquering K3.

Literary Terms:

• Epiphany: sudden realization (religious root: when you see the light)

The epiphany is: Osborn realizing that Nace was right all along

• Personification: when an inanimate object is described as if it were alive
• The mountain is personified, as if it were a living being, a monster
• Imagery: vivid description that appeals to the senses (the reader and easily imagine it—see it, hear it, taste it, etc.)
• Conflict: man vs. nature (external), Nace vs. Osborn
• Figurative language: similes, metaphors, etc.
• Resolution: how everything is worked out in the end
• Reversal: when a characters thinking is reversed or position is reversed. Osborn’s epiphany is a reversal, and the ending where it turns out that Osborn did make it another reversal