Summer Reading Guide
The Compound
By
S. A. Bodeen
This study guide is not intended to replace your reading of the book. It is intended to help you recall
facts, find the main idea, summarize the author’s intent, and use critical thinking skills.
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List of Characters/Terms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Eli Yanakakis – the narrator and main character of the story.
Eddy Yanakakis - Eli’s twin brother who was “lost” during the fake nuclear attack
Rex Yanakakis – technological billionaire who takes his family underground
Clea Yanakakis- Eli’s mother who breeds “Supplements”
Gram - Eli’s grandmother who was also “lost” during the fake nuclear attack
Lexi – Eli’s older adopted sister
Terese- Eli’s younger sister
Els – one of the family’s cooks from Belgium when they lived outside the Compound
Cocoa –Eli’s chocolate lab dog that he left behind when he went into the Compound
Clementine – Terese’s kitten that she left behind when she went into the Compound
Lucas, Quinn, Cara - Eli’s 2 younger brothers and one younger sister, also called “The
Supplements,” bred to eat when the food ran out
12. Phil – Rex’s accountant and co-conspirator of the family entering the Compound
13. Pugent Sound, Washington (USA) the city where the Yanakakis lived before going to the
Compound
Plot Summary:
For six years, Eli Yanakakis has lived three stories underground in a lavish fallout shelter. On his ninth
birthday, his father ushered his family away from what he said was a nuclear attack and into The
Compound. The door to the compound is sealed and set to open in fifteen years, enough time for the
nuclear waste from the attack to become harmless. The only people Eli has seen or communicated with
for years are his mother, father, and two sisters. He desperately misses hamburgers, his twin brother,
Eddy, his grandmother, and his dog. Though The Compound seems stocked with everything he could
ever want, Eli knows there are many faults in his father's plan for survival. Their food supply is not what
it should be. He catches his father lying about the ability to connect to the Internet. As the book goes on,
Eli learns that his father's ultimate plan for a food source, what they call The Supplements, is not the
result of poor planning but of his father's near-insanity. Eli knows he has to get out, but only his father
knows the secret code to opening the door.
Source:
http://blogs.bccls.org/carlie/index.php?/archives/163-Review-The-Compound-by-S.A.Bodeen.html
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Study Questions, Prologue
1.
What time of the day was it when the family made it to the Compound?
2.
Who were the two people that did not make it?
3.
Describe the children’s rooms in the compound. Why were the walls reinforced>
4.
How long would they have to stay in the Compound?
5.
How did Eli feel about having to be in the Compound?
3
Study Questions, Chapter One
1. How long has the family been in the Compound when Eli begins narrating the story? How old is
he?
2. How old are his sisters?
3. Describe a typical routine in Eli’s life in the Compound.
4.
What does Eli wonder about Eddy, his twin brother?
5.
What do Therese and Eli talk about their dad when they are playing basketball?
6.
Describe what happened between Eli and Eddy when they were eight in Hawaii.
7. Explain what Eli is still hoping for at the end of this chapter.
4
Study Questions, Chapter 2
1. Whose birthday is it at the beginning of Chapter 2? How old is he?
2.
What major event happened in history on Eli’s birthday?
3.
What was the name of the nuclear bomb? Why did Eli know so much about nuclear war?
4. What did Eli get for his birthday?
5. Why didn’t he have a birthday cake? What happened to the flour and what does Eli’s mom
tell him not to eat?
6.
Why is Clea still feeding the bread to Rex?
7. What memory does Eli have of doing at his 8th birthday party?
8. Why do you think that Eli has so much guilt over his brother not making it into the
Compound?
5
Study Questions, Chapter 3
1. What did Therese accuse her dad of doing?
2.
List 6 details about the compound from this chapter.
3.
What happened to Eli’s laptop? Whose does he have now?
4.
Where does Eli find his mom in this chapter? What is she doing in there?
5.
6.
What types of books did each sibling like to read?
a. Lexie
b. Terese
c. Eli
What is Eli curious of at the end of this chapter?
6
Study Questions, Chapter 4
1.
What did every room of the compound have in it?
2.
What was Lexie doing in the dancing room? What do we learn about Lexie joining the
family and how she felt about her father?
3.
Describe Clea from Eli’s point of view (ethnic background, physical features,
personality,etc.).
4.
Describe what Clea’s family was like growing up. What kind of childhood did she have?
5.
What fell out of the Bible when Eli opened it? Why was it suspicious?
6.
What was Eli’s job on the compound?
7. What scares Eli the most at the end of this chapter?
8. Does Eli love his family? Explain.
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Study Questions, Chapter 5
1.
Describe Eli’s education. Also, in what language is he fluent?
2.
Does Eli like to be touched? Why not?
3.
Why do you think that Eli’s dad was so angry when Eli came in to ask him a question?
4.
Explain Rex Yanakakis’ childhood and how he met Clea.
5. What kind of dad does Eli wish he had?
6.
Predict: what do you think Eli has regrets about when he says “The part where I was
selfish?”
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Study Questions, Chapter 6
1. What did Eli like to dream about?
2.
What had poisoned all of the livestock in the Compound?
3. What did Eli hide under the bed to eat?
4.
What were the MREs?
5. Predict: what is the unthinkable that the family has to face when they run out of food?
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Study Questions, Chapter 7
1.
Explain what the Supplements are. What was the first reason for having the babies, according
to Clea, and when did things change?
2.
What physical condition is Clea in now?
3. What did Clea comment about when she mentioned the Monet painting? What was she
concerned about?
4. What was odd about Eli’s Cake CD?
5. What did Eli realize about all of the CDs? What does this mean?
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Study Questions, Chapter 8
1.
Why was Eli afraid to talk with his dad?
2.
Rex admits the internet does come on here and there. What does Rex say he uses the
internet for?
3.
Why didn’t Rex tell Clea the code? Did Eli believe his excuse?
4.
When is the door’s time clock set to open?
5.
How did Rex makes sure the workers and the shuttle driver did not know the location of the
Compound? Be specific (see pg. 88-89).
6. Predict: what other secretes could Rex be hiding from his family?
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Study Questions, Chapter 9
1.
At one point at “Tea Time,” what kind of milk did Rex pour for the kids?
2.
What is the fate of the Supplements?
3.
Explain what it was like for Lexi to grow up according to her own words>
4.
What does Lexi say that Eli will do if the food runs out?
5. What does Eli discover about the internet access at the end of Chapter 9?
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Study Questions, Chapter 10
1.
Describe what a Turducken is. When were they served at the Yanakakis home?
2.
What was the problem some of the guests who attended the party where the
Turduckens were served?
3.
When Eli was hiding with Eddy, what did Phi say about Rex’s power and how he
uses it?
4.
What did Eli do on El’s shoes?
5.
What woke up Eli that night he was dreaming? How long had it been since
someone had touched him?
6.
Why do you think Eli says “A touch like that was not meant for someone like me?”
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Study Questions, Chapter Eleven
1.
What did Eli find in the box labeled “Eddy?” What was he doing when he found it?
2.
How did Terese get into Eli’s room?
3.
Where is Terese sleeping in now? What does that room contain?
4.
Summarize what Clea reveals to Eli about her feelings of living in the Compound.
5.
Are Rex and Clea sharing a room still?
6. Describe Clea’s reasoning and regrets for marrying Rex.
7.
When does Rex say the food will run out?
8. Why won’t Clea let the kids eat the bread?
9.
What horrific thing does Rex want to do the increase the food supply?
10. Why does Rex say Eli will go through with it even when Eli denies he will?
11. Who has agreed to the cloning?
12. What changes for Eli at the end of this chapter?
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Study Guide, Chapter Twelve
1.
What does Clea ask Eli to come and see?
2.
Describe the Yellow Room.
3.
Who was the first child to come up to Eli?
4.
Who does Lucas look like?
5. What does Lucas say Eddy is going to do?
6.
What was Lucas’ surprise in the wooden box?
7.
How did Eli feel about being in the room after playing with Lucas?
8.
Who does Eli hold in his arms?
9. What does Lexi say about the cloning?
10. Why does she ask Eli to meet her in her room later?
11. Who is the third Supplement?
12. Paraphrase, in your own words, what Eli’s feeling are on pg 138.
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Study Questions, Chapter 13
1.
Why does Lexie reveal that she agreed to the cloning?
2.
How does Eli get Lexi to agree to trust him?
3.
Does Rex visit the Supplements? Why?
4.
Who does Eli find online when he connects to the internet?
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Study Questions, Chapter 14
1. What does Eli reveal to Eddy about the details of that fatal night that gets Eddy to believe it
really is Eli?
2.
What does Eddy say happened that night (pg 149) instead of a nuclear attack?
3.
Who else starts to IM with Eli?
4.
What does Eddy say about Rex’s biological mom? How does this explain why he brought his
family into the Compound?
5.
Rex has been itching for awhile. What is his new symptom?
6. What worries Eli about the “updated” computer Rex promises to give Eli?
7. Predict: what will Eli do to get back in touch with Eddy and Gram?
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Study Questions, Chapter 15
1. When Eli tells his mother everything, what is the first thing she says that the family should
do?
2.
Does Clea believe that Rex is crazy or just plain evil?
3. What does Lexi say about the relationship she has between her mother and Eli?
4.
Eli challenges Rex to give him the code. What does Eli reveal that he found out?
5.
What does Rex reveal about why he left Eddy behind? What does Clementine (Tereses’ cat)
have to do with it?
6.
Why does Rex say that he himself poisoned the feed and wore out the hydrobulbs?
7. Explain Rex’s rationalization for putting his family in the Compound (pg 168, 171
8.
Who punches Rex in the face? Why? Who tries to stop him?
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Study Questions, Chapter 16
1.
Where does the family take Rex?
2. Summarize Eli’s confession. Why is it his fault that Eddy and Gram were left behind?
(Hint: Eli tells Eddy there’s a surprise back home.)
3.
How does Eli break into his dad’s office?
4.
List some of Rex’s symptoms from his illness.
5.
What is Rex’s disease? How did he get it?
6.
What poem do Eli and his dad recite together?
7.
Did Rex want to give them the code? What was the last word he said?
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Study Questions, Chapter 17
1.
What did Rex say he would leave for the family in case something happened?
2.
Why was Lexie taking care of Cara and the other kids?
3.
Why does Eli let Lexie cut his hair? How did he feel afterwards?
4.
What was Clea doing in Rex’s office when Eli found her?
5. What happens to Clea at the end of this chapter?
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Study Questions, Chapter 18
1.
Where did Eli carry his mom to when she fainted?
2.
Who makes the plan for Clea to stay in bed? Who will take care of the young children?
3.
Why was Clea in such danger for being pregnant? What did the doctors say after she had
Terese?
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Study Questions, Chapter 19
1.
What do Terese and Eli say about their relationship to make it better (pg 203)?
2.
Who has the clue? What was it written on?
3.
What does hautbios mean? Where did that lead Eli? What did he find inside of the
oboe?
4.
How can Eli find out what is written on the parchment?
5.
What does Eli say about his dad’s faith in him figuring out the code (pg. 207)?
6.
What 2 chemicals could reveal the secret code?
7.
Who did Rex have in his arms? What was he threatening to do to him?
8. What did Eli do so Rex would let Lucas go?
9. PREDICT: How will Eli get the parchment back? How will he figure out the code?
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Study Questions, Chapter 20
1.
Why couldn’t Eli go check on his mother?
2.
Who figured out the code? What numbers was the code made out of?
3. What memory does Eli have when he opened up the vacuum seal?
4. Who grabbed Eli as he tried to open the hatch?
5. How does Eli say he cracked the code? And how does he get away from his dad?
6.
Who gets Eli’s hand unstuck and squeezes through the hatch?
7.
What happened to Lucas when Eli stepped out?
8. Predict: how will Eli save his family at this point?
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Study Questions, Chapter 21
1.
Who lands out of the helicopter and opens the hatch for Rex?
2.
Where does Rex say that the family is going?
3.
What will the remote that Phil has in his hand do to the Compound?
4. Once the detonator was set off, how long does Eli have to get his family out?
5.
Phil says he is starting the helicopter in 10 minutes. What does Eli do?
6. How does Eli get everyone out? What does Rex go back in to save?
7. Did everyone make it out alive? Explain.
8.
When the helicopters landed who came running towards Eli?
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Epilogue
1. What 2 agencies came to save the family? How did they know where to find them?
2.
What other two people is Eli reunited with (one person, one animal)?
3.
What was the name of Eli’s new little brother?
4.
What did Phil tell the reporters?
5.
What does Clea say about the future of her family at the press conference?
6.
What significance is the Tums packet found on the beach?
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OTHER STUDY QUESTIONS FROM THE NOVEL:
The Compound
By S.A. Bodeen
Discussion Questions
1. On the page before the prologue, there is a quote from T.S. Eliot. What does this quote
mean? Where does it come from?
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper
2. If you knew you only had 40 minutes of life left, what would you do with it? Does this
reflect where your current priorities are?
3. Would you want to live if you thought that everyone else was dead?
4. Is the luxury of the compound worth all the money if it only saved 4 people?
5. Are you a leader or a follower? Defend your answer. Are followers responsible for their
actions?
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6. Does technology always add to the quality of life? Defend your answer with 3 specific
examples and supports.
7. In this day of technology, are secrets possible anymore?
8. On page 62, Eli states, “Tough Luck Rich Boy”. Do you feel sorry for him? Why or
why not?
9. Research employee sabotage. How frequently does it occur? Select a case and be ready
to present the information to the class.
10. Rex has a plan for the “supplements”, but we are never told exactly what his plan for
them is. What do you think the plan was? Why? Would you be able to go through with
it?
11. How far would you go not to starve?
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12. Eli’s dad says that Eli is just like him. “You’ll do whatever it takes, anything, to make
sure you come out on top.” Society pushes us to “be the best”. What limits would you
go to to be on top? Does whether you might get caught or your moral beliefs play a role
in your choices? Which plays a greater role?
13. Eli’s father states, “Eventually you run out of things to buy that truly make you happy.”
What do you think about this statement?
14. What does the phrase “collateral damage” mean?
15. What does the research say about the affects of TV violence on children?
16. Terese says to Eli, “But you don’t like me. And that is worse than not being loved.”
What do you think about this statement?
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