2-The+Cold+Equations




 * Wade Foster -- Character Tracker**

What was the name of the stowaway? What are the ‘cold equations’? What do you think EDS stands for?

Pilot

Before the pilot meets the stowaway, he appears tough, apathetic, much like a hired gun. “He was an EDS pilot, inured to the sight of death, long since accustomed to it and to viewing the dying of another man with an objective lack of emotion, and he had no choice in what he must do.”

When the he realized the stowaway was a girl, he suddenly had compassion for her. “It was a girl. He stared without speaking, his hand dropping away from the blaster and acceptance of what he saw coming like a heavy and unexpected physical blow.”

The pilot became hopeful, and looked for any possible way for her to avoid her preordained fate of death in space. "Barton, EDS 34G11. Emergency. Give me Commander Delhart."

As the news of Marilyn’s now certain fate was radioed to him, he accepted the circumstances. "I'm sorry," he said again. "You'll never know how sorry I am. It has to be that way and no human in the universe can change it."

After Marilyn was jettisoned, the pilot felt like an old man, burdened with his actions. “He shoved the red lever back to close the door on the empty air lock and turned away, to walk to the pilot's chair with the slow steps of a man old and weary.”

Marilyn

At first, Marilyn was ignorant of her situation and was carefree and happy. “The door opened and the stowaway stepped through it, smiling. "All right—I give up. Now what?" It was a girl.”

When she realized what fate had befell her, she began to panic. "No!" She recoiled from him as though he had struck her, one hand half upraised as though to fend him off and stark unwillingness to believe in her eyes.”

Marilyn eventually came to terms with the situation, and approached it with calmness and maturity. “She stepped into the air lock and turned to face him, only the pulse in her throat to betray the wild beating of her heart. "I'm ready," she said.”

1. In what year does this story take place? 2. Explain why the reason that the pilot gives the girl is so final and harsh. 3. If you were the in the girl's position, would you openly accept your fate or would you try to save yourself?
 * Zach Gentry-Extender and Costa's Levels of Inquiry Questions**

Extender: 1. Star Trek- Movie: This story reminded me a bit of the Star Trek movies in more ways than one. Not only did this story take place in space like Star Trek, but it also involved an organization of space travelers that help others that are in need. In 'The Cold Equations', a space commission is sent out to help random pioneers on new planets that are in need, such as one group that was stricken by a virus from the environment that they were in.

2. 'Ender's Game'- Book: The story also made me think of the events in 'Ender's Game', and what space is like. In both the book and this story, the harsh climate of space is talked about and warned of. Although the authors don't emphasize it in 'Ender's Game' as much as in 'The Cold Equations', it is mentioned and Ender learns to adapt to it throughout the book.

3. Robert Frost- Poetry: The mood that is set in this story reminds me of the mood set in some of Robert Frost's poetry. Both author and poet seem to put emphasis on a certain bitter realizing of the way life must be. Godwin does this by dragging out the fact that a character in his story is doomed to die, and Frost seemed to have done the same thing in some of his poems where he makes life seem bitter at points, but presents the idea that life can just be like that. He talks in his poetry of how life can change and sometimes its better to live life to its fullest, as the girl in this story was, and to take 'the path less traveled'.

4. 9/11- Event: This story reminded me of how some of the people in the Twin Towers must have felt when they realized that they were going to die. In this short story, a stowaway on a starship realizes that she is going to die, and she must have felt that awful feeling that all who died in the 9/11 attacks on NY city must have felt. That terrible anguish and fear must have passed through them and rushed to every nerve in their body when they figured it out.

Quinn LeGallo-Malone Vocab Builder Questions: What is the name of the stowaway? Why do the EDS ships have so little fuel? What do you think the stowaway's parents will do when they find out about her fate?

Vocabulary: Cold:Definition: Of or at a low or relatively low temperature, esp. when compared with the human body. In this story cold does not mean low temperature, but rather it is talking about the feelings of equations. The equations are cold because they do not feel for humans or life.

Value:Definition: The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance or preciousness of something: "your support is of great value". In this story value is talked about in terms of human life. The ship jettisons all cargo possible before having to get rid of Marilyn.

Gypsy:Definition: A nomadic or free-spirited person Marylin can be described like a gypsy because she is free spirited and does not care about rules. She believes she will only have to pay a fine for stowing away on the ship.

Faceless:Definition: Characterless and dull The equations can be described as a faceless foe because they do not have a physical form, and are simply the laws of the universe.

Unwanted:Definition: Not or no longer desired Marilyn feels unwanted because she knows that she should not have come on the EDS. Her death is also an unwanted loss.

Inexorable:Definition: adamant: impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason; The equations are inexorable because they are unable to change. I chose this word because I did not know what it meant when reading the story.

Precious:Definition: Of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly Life is a precious thing, but Marilyn's life had to be given up to protect the life of many others.

Poignant:Definition: Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret This story is a poignant story because it is sad that Marilyn had to die. I did not know the meaning when reading the story, so I chose this word to look up.

Ignorance:definition: Lack of knowledge or information Marilyn is ignorant of the laws in the frontier. She should have research more before trying to stowaway on an EDS.

Powerless:Definition: Without ability, influence, or power The commander is powerless to stop Marilyn from dieing to the depths of outer space.

Brett Eubank ~ Image Finder Why must Marilyn die? What would you do in the pilot's situation? Compare and Contrast the ideas of Marilyn with the ideas of the pilot

Eventually the pilot had to send her out of a door that could look similar to this and she would have spent her last moments behind this door.

The pilot mentioned that he didnt have to put up with the family of the girl. He just had to put up with his dreams of her. Also this could serve as an image for the girl's dream to see her brother which unfortunately got her killed.

I use this as image for her last moments as though the inmate was deathrow got his last phone call she got hers which was to the brother

If i werent for the thermal imaging scan she would have never been found because she would have stayed on the EDS and no one ever know until it was too late.

This final image is for what i think this whole story is about decisions. She made the decisions to stowaway and got punished for that. The pilot made the descision to prolong the death so that she could talk to her brother. This story was about the good, bad and inevitable decisions people have to make.