The author's introductory paragraph establishes the emotional stakes of the story by highlighting the urgency and importance of finding Raven, Nicholas's beloved dog. The description of the harsh weather conditions—"battling the snow, in blinding drifts of gargantuan proportions"—conveys both the physical challenges the search party faces and the dangerous environment in which they are searching. This sense of struggle is compounded by the background that Raven is not just a pet but a cherished part of Nicholas's life since his twelfth birthday, which adds depth to their bond. The use of details like Raven's injury ("Raven's right rear leg injury") heightens the reader's concern for the dog's well-being, making it clear that time is of the essence. The paragraph sets a tone of determination and desperation, effectively engaging the reader’s empathy and prompting a vested interest in both Nicholas and Raven’s fates. This emotional setup enhances the overall tension and stakes for the characters, making the quest for Raven feel critical and urgent.
Finding Raven
Battling the snow, in blinding drifts of gargantuan proportions, was not the worst part of searching for Raven, Nicholas's four–year–old, loveable black Labrador. Raven had been Nicholas's since his twelfth birthday, and now it was more than imperative that Raven be found and brought back home to the family and the Fallen Leaf Lodge fireside he loved. Nicholas and his loyal search party, comprised of Lisa, Nguyen, and Tim, had been out since daybreak. Morning had emerged weakly through the tail–end of a ferocious Sierra Nevada snowstorm. Well–bundled and armed with bottled water, treats for Raven when they found him, a dog whistle, and thermoses of coffee, the optimistic search party had set out on snowshoes. They had all been born in the Sierra Nevada region, so a snowstorm like this was not frightening to them.
Near–blizzard conditions and fighting off hypothermia were not the critical issues. The problem was Raven's right rear leg injury and the impossible depth of the snow that Nicholas knew Raven would never be able to dig through, even if he did remember his way back home. Raven's leg injury was Nicholas's worst fear. It was a fear that gnawed at him persistently as he blazed a trail through the snow, shouting himself hoarse in search of Raven. He took a heartening gulp of creamy, sweetened coffee from his thermos and bellowed for the hundredth time, "Ra–a–a–ven!"
They had all been searching and hollering for three hours now, all through the dense woods that surrounded the frozen lake. Nicholas thought it downright generous of his friends to forfeit a day of skiing to help his family find Raven. Several times in the last three hours, Nicholas could hear faintly, just below the howl of the merciless wind, his parents shouting for Raven, too. They were miles apart, maybe even on the other side of the small, silent lake, but the echo of their shouting, the scream of the whistle his father used to summon Raven at times, was reassuring.
"I didn't know I needed him. I didn't know Raven was so important," Nicholas muttered to himself, as the wind tore the words from his lips with unrelenting force. Nicholas felt the same spasm of fear deep inside him, and he tried to ignore the little voice that kept taunting him, "What if we don't find him before nightfall? What if he doesn't make it through the night?" A soft whining sound several feet ahead of Nicholas caught his ear and his insides began to quiver with hope.
"Raven!" Nicholas yelled again, motioning frantically to his friends, who bravely brought up the rear of the search and rescue team. He pointed to the snow–laden clump of brush just ahead at the foot of an enormous pine, bending its arms as if it were trying to fend off the fangs of the mean wind. Another feeble whine reached Nicholas's half–frozen ears just as he caught sight of movement in the brush. Lisa, Nguyen, and Tim must have seen the movement at almost the same time because the four of them fell upon the brush, tearing it apart to make way for a determined, snow–encrusted Raven to emerge from the brush seconds later. Raven gave a tired, half–bark, half–whine, and collapsed, shivering in Nicholas's arms. To alert Nicholas' parents, Nguyen triumphantly blew the "we found him" signal on the whistle, and Nicholas, who had always detested the ear–splitting, nerve–jarring sound, thought it was probably the most beautiful music he'd heard in a long, long time.
Constructed Response Question
In a short response, describe how the author's introductory paragraph helps to relate elements of the story to the reader. Be sure to include specific details from the text to support your response.
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