Student Question
In The Mosquito Coast, what is the locals' initial reaction to Fat Boy?
Quick answer:
The locals' initial reaction to Fat Boy in "The Mosquito Coast" is mixed. Most residents of Jeronimo are puzzled and think Allie is going mad, suspecting he is building a silo. When questioned, Allie cryptically claims the importance lies in what will be taken out. Indigenous farmers and settlers are awed by its size, perceiving it as a magical or mysterious force, which boosts their opinion of Allie.
The answer to this question can be found in Chapter 14, which is when the structure that Allie is forcing everybody to be involved i building takes shape as a box that is tall and has a metal lid. The reactions of the people of Jeronimo vary. The majority of the residents think that Allie is going slighly mad and is building a silo. When they ask Allie what he will store in it, Allie answers with a kind of riddle, saying it is what he will take out that is most important:
He said he was making a monster. 'I'm Doctor Frankenstein!' he howled through his welder's mask.
The indigenous farmers and settlers come to look at the enormous creation that Allie is making and are awed by its size and mystery. Clearly, the creation of Fat Boy is something that boosts their opinion of Allie in the opinion of the indigenous people that associate it with some kind of magic or mysterious force.
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