Thunder Road
Ted Dawe
Synopsis_____________________________________________
Trace is 19 and sick of living in a small town. He craves excitement so moves
to Auckland where he hooks up with Devon. Devon seems so sophisticated.
He has all sorts of connections and introduces Devon to a world of burn-offs,
drugs and wheeling and dealing. Soon Trace finds himself immersed in a
world full of danger and excitement. It is a world very different from the one
that Karen, a girl who Trace is interested in, comes from. Despite being so
different, Trace and Karen are determined to be together. They are forced to
lie not only to Karen’s disapproving parents, but also to Devon, who believes
that Karen is out of Trace’s league.
Devon and Trace make a fortune selling drugs they stole. What they don’t
realise is that they are in danger. They are small players in a big game and
there are dealers and gang members who want a slice of the action. In the
action-packed climax of the novel it is Trace who must use all of his nous to
save himself and Devon. Will he succeed or will the boys end up dead like so
many others who inhabit the underworld of drugs and firearms?
Text Type____________________________________________
Thunder Road is a gritty and realistic novel that will appeal particularly to
teenage boys. The story is fast-paced and full of action. There is a particular
focus on cars and street racing and the culture surrounding this activity. Trace
is a likeable character who, despite being easily drawn into the criminal
underworld, remains compassionate and slightly vulnerable. Many students
will be able to relate to his feelings of inferiority around others who have had
more privileged upbringings than his own and also his desire to leave his
small town in search of the bright lights and excitement of Auckland. The
language in the novel is coarse at times, but this only serves to heighten the
realism in the story.
Issues dealt with include friendship, loyalty, drugs, the criminal underworld
and death.
Sharing the Novel_____________________________________
The novel can be covered in 4-shared sessions and 3 independent reading
sessions. It has been divided up as follows: Forward, Chapters 1 and 2 (pp. 925), Chapters 3-12 (pp. 26-111), Chapters 13-27 (pp. 112-207), Chapters 28Epilogue (pp. 208-287).
During the shared sessions encourage students to ask questions and make
predictions. Discuss the urban criminal underworld setting with them and the
dangers associated with it. Have them explain how the characters in the novel
develop and change and deal with conflict. Encourage them to identify
important themes in the novel.
Introducing the Text____________________________________
Study the front cover of the novel and read the blurb.
 Describe the cover photo. What connotations does this photo have?
What atmosphere does it evoke?
 Why is some of the blurb written in red?
 Who are the main characters in the novel?
 What do you think Devon’s scheme is for “hauling in cash”?
 What is the “underworld”?
 Why do you think that Devon and Trace’s friendship is heading for
“burn out”?
Teacher reads the prologue, Chapters 1 and 2 (pp. 9-25) aloud to the class.
Students follow along in their books.
Comprehension Chapters 1 and 2 (pp 9-25)________________
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Why does Trace leave home when he is 15? Does he regret his
decision?
Where is the story set?
Why does Trace leave the building site?
Where does Trace move in to?
Describe Mrs. Jacques.
Who else lives in the boarding house?
Where does Trace find a job? What are his co-workers like? What sorts
of things do they discuss?
What does Devon look like? What is Trace’s first impression of him?
Where has Devon been? What is his job?
What kind of car does Devon drive? What modifications have been
made to it?
What does Devon call Whaitiri Street? Describe what happens there.
Who are Rebel and the Taylor twins?
What does Devon tell Trace about himself?
Discussion
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Trace seems really eager to not only leave the small town behind but
also the “family scene”. He does not provide us with many details about
his background. Using the information we are given and your own
ideas, write a paragraph explaining Trace’s background.
In what ways is Devon different from Trace?
What sorts of activities are associated with drag racing? Do you think
that Trace will be able to deal with this scene? Explain your answer.
In what ways is Auckland different from where Trace comes from?
Make a prediction about what will happen next in the story.
Students read Chapters 3-12 (pp. 26-111) independently before the next
shared session.
Comprehension Chapters 3-12 (pp. 26-111)_______________
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Who are Jason, Richard and Karen? How do they treat Trace? Why do
you think they act this way?
Who are Gail and Martin?
What is a D.C.? How does Devon feel about people who drive them?
Why does Devon believe that dragging is about “guts and nuts”?
Who is Sloane? What is his role on The Strip?
Describe the incident between Karen and the youth who wants to buy
glue. Why does Karen think that Trace is a hero?
Why is Trace nervous about going to Karen’s for dinner? Describe
what happens during the meal. Why is Trace so ashamed of his
actions?
Where does Devon get the bag of marijuana?
Why does Devon believe that Trace has “curiosity value” for Karen?
What vehicle does Rebel give Trace? What do you think he might want
in exchange?
Why does Trace assume that Devon is Maori? How does Devon react
to this? Why do you think he reacts in this way?
What does Karen’s mum tell Trace when he returns the sheets? Do
you think Karen’s parents are justified in their opinion of Trace? Explain
your answer.
What new car does Rebel give Devon?
Who is Wes? Where does he live?
What does Devon have to do before he is allowed to move into the
cottage in Parnell?
How did Devon meet Wes? What did Wes do for him? How do you
think Devon paid him back?
What does Trace agree to do with Devon that sets him in a new
direction?
What do Devon and Trace call their ‘dope recovery mission’? What
preparations do they make? What problems do you think they might
encounter?
Why does Devon believe they should take all the dope at once? How
do the boys go about doing this?
Who is Johnno? What does he look like?
How much does Devon think the dope will be worth? Why won’t he and
Trace be able to keep all the money?
Why is Devon so determined to go back for the rest of the dope? Why
is Trace so upset when he thinks Devon is leaving him behind?
What happens when they get back to where they stashed the dope?
How does Trace distract the farmer and enable Devon to escape?
What do the guys plan to do with the dope now that they have it?
Why does Devon get rid of the WRX?
Discussion
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Do you agree with Trace when he comments about Devon that “the
only things that mattered were the things we were doing right then”?
Explain your answer and back up your ideas with specific examples
from the story.
Trace and Karen are from two completely different worlds. Explain the
differences between them. Why do you think that each is attracted to
the other? Do you believe they make a good match? Justify your
answer.
Describe Devon. What did he do when he first came to Auckland?
What sort of people does he know? In what ways is he a bad influence
on Trace? Why do you think he is ashamed of his heritage?
Why do you think Devon wanted to shoot the farmer? What do you
think happened to him in the long grass?
Predict what will happen next in the story.
Students read Chapters 13-27 (pp. 112-207) independently before the next
shared session.
Comprehension Chapters 13-27 (pp. 112 – 207)_____________
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Why does Devon’s attitude towards his job change?
What events do Trace and Devon use the press passes to get into?
How does Devon find redemption on Thunder Road?
How does Karen come back into Trace’s life? Where does she want
Trace to go with her to? Why doesn’t Trace want Devon to know he
has met up with Karen again?
How does Trace feel when he sees the police outside his house? What
does he find out from Devon that surprises him? Why are Devon and
Trace so eager to move?
Why does Trace feel uncomfortable about moving into the house in
Parnell? How does Devon’s attitude differ from his?
What does Devon mean when he says that Trace is “evolving away
from the straight currency”?
Describe the encounter between Devon and Wes. Why do you think
Wes is unhappy with Devon?
Why do Karen and Trace need to keep their meetings secret from both
Devon and her parents?
Why does Mark approach Trace in the car?
What is a “block”?
Why does Devon make the decision not to complete the deal with
Sloane? What are the possible implications of this decision?
What measures do Devon and Trace take to ensure that they maintain
a low profile?
Who does Trace notice following them home from the Viaduct? What
possible reasons could these men have to tail Trace and Devon?
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Why does Trace feel so uneasy in public?
How does Richard react when he sees Trace at Angela’s place? Why
do you think he reacts this way?
Who does Devon pretend to be when he meets Angela? Why do you
think he does this? Why do you think Angela is so attracted to him?
Describe the incident that occurs in the morning between Devon and
Angela’s father. How does Devon act during this encounter?
Who is Wiremu?
Why does Rebel summon Devon to his house? Why is Trace
apprehensive about going there? What is Rebel’s proposal?
What arrangements do Karen and Trace make so they are able to
contact each other?
Why do Karen and Trace continue to lie to Angela about Diego? How
does Trace feel about this deception?
What does Devon do with the rest of the dope? Why is Trace upset
that he did this? Why is Devon agitated when he learns Wiremu knows
where he lives?
Why does Trace believe Devon is not taking their position seriously?
Who does Devon plan to hide the money with? How does he conceal
it?
Discussion
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Why is Trace so determined to keep his relationship with Karen
separate from his activities with Devon? Why is he so upset when
Devon pretends to be Diego?
If you were Karen’s parents how would you feel about her dating
Trace? Explain your answer.
How has Trace changed since he has been hanging out with Devon?
How does Devon treat Angela when they get home? How is this
different from how Trace treats Karen? Why do you think the two guys
have such different attitudes towards women? What does it show us
about each boy’s character?
Do you think that Devon is a good friend to Trace? Back up your
answer with specific references to the text.
How have Devon’s actions and decisions put Trace into danger? Do
you think their self-defence plan will be adequate to protect them from
the criminal underworld? Explain your answer.
Students read Chapters 28-Epilogue (pp. 208-287) independently before the
next shared session.
Comprehension Chapters 28 – Epilogue (pp. 208-287)_______
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What does Johnno show Trace and Devon that he is so proud of? Why
does Devon become angry when Johnno reveals how he got his new
toy?
What happens when Devon and Trace return to Johnno’s? How do the
boys manage to escape from the men pursuing them? What does
Devon do before the boys leave in the Holden?
What do you think Devon saw inside Johnno’s house?
Why is Devon so determined to return to Gail and Martin’s? Describe
what happens when they get there. What explanation does Devon give
Trace about sending him into the carport first?
What do Devon and Trace find when they return home?
How does Devon plan to settle the score with Rebel? Why does he
decide to join up with Sloane?
Why does Trace lose faith in Devon?
What does Devon purchase at the travel agents?
Why does Trace believe there is a distance between himself and
Devon at the hotel?
Where does Trace hide his share of the money? Why do you think he
no longer sees the money as being important?
What news does Karen give Trace outside her father’s work? How
does Trace feel about the announcement?
Why does Devon borrow Angela’s father’s BMW? Why does he want
Angela to accompany him to The Strip?
Describe what happens when Devon, Trace and Angela meet with
Sloane. How does Trace take control of the situation? How does he
propose to settle the issue? What does Sloane say will happen to
Devon and Angela if Trace doesn’t come through?
Who does Trace find at the house in Parnell when he returns? What
gang does the man belong to? Why does Trace agree to accompany
him back to The Strip?
How do you think Devon managed to escape from Sloane?
Why does Trace’s opinion about Sloane change when he realises
Mark and Wiremu know each other?
What sort of state is Angela in when Trace gets her back to the
cottage? Where does he take her?
Who chases Trace away from the scene of Devon’s accident?
How does Trace fall off his bike? Who finds him?
What injuries does Trace sustain?
How does Trace manage to get into critical care to see Devon? What
information does he learn from Devon’s doctor?
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What does Devon’s koro tell Trace about his friend’s background?
What regrets does Ra have about the decisions he made when Devon
was younger?
 Where does Trace hide the money?
 Where do Devon’s family take his body? In what ways do you think
Trace’s involvement in the Tangi and being around Devon’s whanau
helps Trace come to terms with his grief?
 What advice does Ra give Trace before he leaves?
 Describe Trace’s encounter with Karen. How does Karen react to the
news of Devon’s death? Why do you think she reacts this way?
 What does Trace do with the money that he recovers from the
Domain?
 What startling realisation does Trace come to when he returns to the
house in Parnell?
 Why is Trace so determined to get even with Wes? Describe his final
encounter with Wes. What happens to make Trace place Wes on the
ground rather than throw him over the cliff?
Where does Trace move to after Devon’s death? How has he attempted to
change his life? What are his goals for the future?
Discussion
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At what point does Trace become uncomfortable with the sort of
person that he has become? Why does he refer to the money as
“blocks of poison and pain”? What lesson do you think he learned from
Devon’s death?
In some ways Devon’s death was inevitable. Do you agree with this
statement? Why/why not?
What stops Trace from killing Wes? How do you think he would have
changed if he had gone through with the murder?
Activities_____________________________________________
Web Page – Design a web page advertising the novel Thunder Road. Include
brief plot summary, illustrations that show the setting of the book and discuss
the issues that are raised in the story. You may wish to include links to other
sites such as biographical information about the author and information about
other novels the author has written.
Static Image – Draw a picture of Devon on a large piece of cartridge. Put a
line down the middle of the illustration. On one side list Devon’s positive
attributes, on the other list his negative characteristics. Back up your ideas
with quotes from the novel.
Plot Graph – Complete a plot graph for the novel Thunder Road. Label the
vertical axis “Level of Excitement” and list the numbers 1-10. On the
horizontal axis list 10 important events from the novel in the order that they
occur. Plot each event on the graph according to how exciting it is. Remember
to clearly label the climax.
Book Review – Write a book review for Thunder Road. Briefly explain the
storyline, comment on setting, character and issues raised in the novel. Back
up your ideas with specific examples from the text and remember to give your
personal opinion about the book.
Climax – Identify the climax in the story and explain why this event is
important.
Character Analysis – Write a paragraph explaining how Trace develops and
changes in the story. Explain the reasons for these changes and back up your
ideas with quotes from the text.
Soundtrack – Imagine that Thunder Road is being made into a film. Select 5
songs that you would include on the film soundtrack. Explain where you would
use them and why they are appropriate.
Book Cover – Design an alternative book cover for Thunder Road. Try and
show a main theme, character or setting from the novel.
Teacher Notes by Vicki Gyde