Peak

Chapters 1-5

Reading Check

1. He realizes he didn’t wear warm-enough clothing. (Chapter 2)

2. He is arrested. (Chapters 2-3)

3. The court sets out to make an example of Peak to prevent others from making the same mistake. (Chapter 3)

4. He is a mountaineer. (Chapter 4)

Short Answer

1. Peak is to pay $150,000 in bail and is to live with his father in Thailand, to make the story of his arrest disappear. (Chapter 4)

2. Peak seems to look up to Vincent as a mentor. Peak has tried to read all of Vincent’s books, and he quotes Vincent. Vincent also visits Peak in jail, so the two probably feel a connection to one another—possibly through writing. (Chapters 1 & 3)

Chapters 6-10

Reading Check

1. He wants Peak to be the youngest person to climb Mount Everest. (Chapter 7)

2. He must acclimate to the elevation beforehand. (Chapter 8)

3. He believes the older gear will be more useful. (Chapter 9)

4. That he is preparing to climb Mount Everest (Chapter 10)

Short Answer

1. Peak has not seen or spoken to his father in many years. Peak has tried to reach out to him, but he never responds. It seems that Peak’s father cannot resist the allure of climbing and abandoned Peak and his mother to continue pursuing it. Peak’s father also instructs Peak not to call him “Dad” until he has earned the title. (Various chapters)

2. Altitude is a problem because the climbers must acclimate their bodies to take in less oxygen. There are also political conflicts between China and Tibet, and there is a risk of death—Sun-jo mentions that his father died on the mountain. (Various chapters)

Chapters 11-15

1. Peak is worried his father invited him to climb Mount Everest only because he wants publicity to boost his business’s profits. (Chapter 11)

2. He doesn’t want Peak to tell anyone Josh is his father. (Chapter 13)

3. She threatens to write an article about Peak and Everest unless Josh invites her to go along. (Chapter 12)

4. A famous actor (Chapter 13)

5. Puja is a ceremony performed by the monks and Sherpa that blesses a climbing party before their ascent. (Chapter 14)

Short Answer

1. Holly is immediately off-putting because she has forced her way into the camp by blackmailing Josh. She arrives short of breath, and many in the camp, along with Josh, believe she will not be able to make the climb. She also brings along a personal massage therapist, which may indicate that she is high-maintenance. (Various chapters)

2. Josh has already been described as a dedicated climber, but this reveals he also has perseverance and resolve. It may indicate that Josh is also reckless because he is planning to place his son in danger. (Various chapters)

Chapters 16-21

1. He realizes the letters he sent Josh must have reached him and still gone unanswered. (Chapter 17)

2. Sun-jo has forged papers and is not permitted on the mountain; he could go to jail. (Chapter 18)

3. Peak worries Sun-jo may actually be younger than him, so Peak would not be the youngest to climb to the summit. (Chapter 19)

4. He reveals that he believes Peak could make it to the top, which increases Peak’s determination to do so. (Chapter 20)

5. He is arrested by Captain Shrek and flown off the mountain. (Chapter 21)

Short Answer

1. Trust is important because the climbers depend on one another for survival. Peak realizes Josh has ignored his letters and has lied to both him and his mom about the climb on Mount Everest. Peak also learns that Zopa and Sun-jo have been keeping secrets from him when they reveal they are related. (Various chapters)

2. Josh and Zopa’s goals are aligned because they both want to put the youngest climber on the peak of Mount Everest. However, Josh has put his son in grave danger for the sake of his career and for glory, while Zopa intends to pay for Sun-jo to go to school with the notoriety he would gain. (Chapter 19)

Chapters 22-30



1. She tells Peak she stopped climbing because she wanted to be there for her children. (Chapter 22)

2. Josh reveals that Sun-jo’s father died saving him, so he feels as though he owes him. (Chapter 22)

3. The Texan says he will not continue if Peak goes with Josh. (Chapter 24)

4. Zopa will assist him in climbing a different way up the mountain. (Chapter 24)

5. Sun-jo’s ax breaks and Peak secures his rope, saving his life. (Chapter 25)

6. The Death Zone (Chapter 27)

7. Sun-jo continues on to the summit, and Peak realizes he does not care to. (Chapter 28)

Short Answer

1. Peak ultimately learns that his family and spending time with them is of much greater value than reaching the summit. He also learns true friendship in that he permits Sun-jo to reach the peak, recognizing that his friend will benefit by reaching the summit more than he will. Peak has reached a level of maturity his father was unable to reach. (Various chapters)

2. Peak asks Sun-jo to place his tag at the summit. Peak has been determined throughout the novel to become the youngest climber to summit Mount Everest. However, at the novel’s conclusion, Peak realizes there are greater things than his own ambition. He recognizes the importance of friendship and allows his friend, Sun-jo, to reach the summit in his stead. Peak understands that Sun-jo needs to reach the peak to live a better life. Peak symbolically reaches the summit through friendship when Sun-jo places his tag at the top, and this gesture is more important to him than the peak itself. (Various chapters)