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Life as We Knew It
a large asteroid is going to hit the moon from her mom’s
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION boyfriend, Peter, but soon it’s all the newscasters talk about,
and her teachers too—they use it as an excuse to assign moon-
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF SUSAN PFEFFER
themed projects.
Susan Beth Pfeffer declared her intention to become an author
Despite the extra schoolwork, the mood is festive on the night
when she was just six years old. She wrote her first published
the asteroid is supposed to hit. People in New York are having
novel, Just Morgan, while still an undergraduate at New York
rooftop viewing parties, and even on Miranda’s rural
University. Since then Pfeffer has gone on to write more than
Pennsylvania street, all the neighbors are out in an impromptu
seventy novels for children and young adults. She lives in
block party. Despite her older brother Matt’s misgivings about
Middletown, New York with her cat, Scooter.
the event—which he had called home from college the night
before to share—Miranda joins in the excitement with her mom
RELATED LITERARY WORKS Laura and younger brother Jonny.
Pfeffer published three sequels to Life As We Knew It: The Dead When the asteroid first appears in the sky, however, the mood
and the Gone, This World We Live In, and The Shade of the Moon. quickly changes to one of panic. The asteroid is denser than
Books with similar themes of survival amidst natural disasters scientists had predicted and the collision knocks the moon off
include Ashfall by Mike Mullin, Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi, kilter, forcing it closer to Earth. The impacts are immediate,
and How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff. even if Miranda doesn’t know the full extent of them because
cell service and cable channels stop working.
KEY FACTS By the next morning Miranda has ascertained that her father
Hal and pregnant stepmother Lisa, as well as her Grandma and
• Full Title: Life As We Knew It
Matt, are all okay. The world as a whole, however, is not. Due to
• Where Written: New York sudden unpredictable tides and tsunamis, there were massive
• When Published: 2006 casualties on both coasts of the United States. Countries
• Literary Period: Contemporary Young Adult around the world with coastlines are devastated by the impact
• Genre: Science Fiction / Post-apocalyptic, Young Adult of the moon’s increased gravitational pull on their tides.
fiction Millions are dead.
• Setting: Howell, Pennsylvania Laura reacts to this news and the powerful electrical storms of
• Climax: Miranda walks into town, knowing she doesn’t have the next day by pulling Miranda and Jonny from school and
the strength to return, and finds the flyer for food having them join her and their elderly neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt on
distribution. a high-stakes shopping spree, where they buy nonperishable
• Point of View: First person, written in epistolary form of items and plants for a vegetable garden. Looking at their full
Miranda’s journal entries pantry, Miranda tells herself that these precautions are
ludicrous and unnecessary.
EXTRA CREDIT But in the weeks that follow, electricity continues to be
Holiday inspiration. Pfeffer was inspired to write Life As We unreliable, gas prices skyrocket, and the grocery stores remain
bare. By the time Matt returns home from college and the
Know It after watching the movie Meteor on the Saturday after
school year ends, food shortages have become severe enough
Thanksgiving in 2004.
that classmates squabble over who will get Miranda’s friend
Megan’s lunchtime peanut butter sandwich. Megan, like other
Lofty influences. Miranda Evans is named after the character
congregants at the local Reverend Marshall’s church, has
Miranda in Shakespeare’s play The T
Tempest
empest.
decided to fast and pray in response to the disasters.
Instead of things going back to normal, the outages
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY escalate—as do the temperatures and the incidents of rare
illness. The tides and tsunamis also haven’t stopped, and one
In her journal, sixteen-year-old Miranda Evans is counting morning Miranda wakes up to a grim, gray sky—the result of the
down until her sophomore year of high school ends and ash cloud from dramatic worldwide volcanic eruptions.
summer vacation begins, but in the meantime she has tests, Within days the temperatures plummet, and the vegetables in
fights with her mom, and friendship drama. She first hears that

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Laura’s garden begin to wither from lack of sunlight. Miranda fact that there’s food in the pantry, her family is alive and
had been making trips to swim at Miller’s Pond and meet up together, and with the hopeful assertion that she’s writing this
with Dan, a boy she’s started to see, but it’s soon too cold. By journal not to chronicle her life for those who outlive her, but
early August there is frost, and many people—including Hal, the for herself, for a time when things look better than they are
pregnant Lisa, Dan, and Miranda’s friend Sammi, who is dating a now.
forty-year-old man with resources and connections—leave
their homes in the hopes of finding better conditions elsewhere
in the country. CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS
Miranda, Matt, and Laura all cut back to two meals a day, then MAJOR CHARACTERS
decide to skip an additional meal every other day. They don’t
share this plan with Jonny, however, because at thirteen years Mir
Miranda
anda Evans – The sixteen-year-old narrator of the novel,
old, they think he’s too young to cut back more on meals. And, which is told in the format of her diary entries. Prior to the
Miranda realizes, he is the one her mother is betting on to asteroid’s impact with the moon, Miranda was concerned with
survive if they can’t all make it. She resents her mother for this, grades, friendships, boys, and ice skating, but in the fallout of
despite the fact that Laura is eating even less than the amount the asteroid’s strike, her life becomes centered on her own
they agreed upon. survival and helping her immediate family, which consists of her
mother (Laura), and brothers, (Matt and Jonny). Sprinkled
When their heating oil runs out the Evanses move into their
throughout the bleak entries of Miranda’s journal are glimpses
sunroom, which has a wood stove. Miranda chafes under the
of how her age and perspective inform the way she interprets
lack of privacy and continued lack of food. A pair of old cross
and reacts to the increasing threats in her life. While she
country skis is found in the attic and Matt, Jonny, and Miranda
realizes the inherent danger of her day-to-day life, she also
all take turns training on them. Laura, who has limited mobility
reminisces about typical teenage priorities like school, dating,
due to a twice-sprained ankle, does not. Matt and Miranda
college, and prom. Miranda mourns the life that she lost, while
discuss how the last person alive will use them to leave.
simultaneously doing her best to record and endure life as she
When Jonny, Laura, and Matt all begin to run fevers and are too now knows it.
weak to leave their mattresses, Miranda skis to the hospital for
Matt Evans – The older brother of Miranda and Jonny. He is
help. The building is deserted except for two nurses who
away at college when the lunar impact occurs but makes his
explain that everyone else is dead—including Peter, Laura’s
way home from Ithaca, New York to Howell, Pennsylvania to be
boyfriend. Miranda adds him to the list of deaths she’s endured,
with his family. Miranda idealizes Matt and looks to him as a
which now includes Mrs. Nesbitt and her friend Megan, who
source of wisdom and strength. He acts as the peacekeeper in
chose to starve to death as a sign of her religious faith.
the family, often mediating disagreements between Miranda
Slowly, under Miranda’s care, Jonny and Laura recover. Matt and Laura. He believes in treating Miranda like an adult and
does too, but he seems permanently weakened, and they fear keeps her informed of new dangers, but agrees to shelter
that he strained his heart helping Miranda care for the other Jonny for as long as possible. While he is the most physically fit
two while still sick. at the beginning of the novel, he strains his heart moving Laura
In late February electricity begins to reappear sporadically for a and Jonny out of the sunroom to save them from smoke
few minutes at a time. The news reports are still much the inhalation and never fully recovers.
same: lists of the dead, natural disasters, famines, droughts, and Jonn
Jonnyy Evans – The younger brother of Miranda and Matt.
illnesses. In mid-March, with food supplies dangerously low, Jonny is thirteen years old and hopes to be a professional
Miranda realizes that her whole family is not going to survive, baseball player when he grows up. Prior to the asteroid’s strike,
and they can all starve to death slowly, or she can give Matt and Jonny had planned to spend the summer at baseball camp.
Jonny a fighting chance. Laura decides that he should still attend, despite the new
In order to spare her mother from having to witness her death, dangers and lack of consistent electricity or phone lines,
Miranda walks into town—knowing that she does not have the because the camp promises to provide better food than she can
strength to make the return trip. However, when she sits down give him at home. While he is gone, Miranda, Laura, and Matt
on one of the deserted streets, she glimpses a yellow flyer. She come to an agreement that while they will cut down on the
hasn’t seen anything bright-colored in so long that she musters number of meals they’re eating, they don’t want Jonny to fast.
the energy to get up and capture it. The flyer directs her to City This is part of their unspoken agreement that if only one
Hall, where food distribution had begun a few weeks ago. member of their family survives, it should be Jonny.
Miranda is driven home with four bags of groceries, and with Laur
Lauraa Evans – The mother of Miranda, Matt, and Jonny, and ex-
the promise of more bags to come every week. wife to Hal. Laura is an author prior to the moon incident. In the
The novel ends on Miranda’s birthday, with her celebrating the aftermath, her sole focus is keeping her family alive despite all

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of food shortages and dangers. Laura shows keen survival MINOR CHARACTERS
instincts, such as the foresight to stockpile food and wood, Lisa – Miranda’s stepmother. Miranda’s dad reveals on the first
planting a garden, and moving her family from the main part of page of the novel that she is pregnant with a little girl, whom
their house into the sunroom with a wood stove. Her fear Miranda mentally dubs “Rachel.”
throughout the novel is that she will fail in her task and have to
witness her children’s deaths. Megan W Waayne – A childhood friend of Miranda’s. Megan is
very religious and highly influenced by Reverend Marshall. She
Mrs. Nesbitt – The elderly neighbor of Laura, Miranda, Matt,
spends the days following the moon incident in prayer and
and Jonny. Mrs. Nesbitt grew up with Laura’s parents and is
fasting until she eventually dies.
considered to be part of their family. When preparing their
home in the aftermath of the natural disasters, they also make Mrs. W
Waayne – Megan’s mother. After Megan starves to death,
sure that Mrs. Nesbitt’s home is stocked, and they check on her Mrs. Wayne hangs herself.
frequently in the months that follow. Before Mrs. Nesbitt Re
Revverend Marshall – Corrupt leader of the local church that
passes away, she tells Miranda to take anything that is useable Megan Wayne attends. He tells his congregants that the fallout
from her house. from the moon impact is God’s punishment for their sins. While
Hal – Miranda, Jonny, and Matt’s father, Hal is divorced from his congregants starve and pray for forgiveness, he continues
Laura and married to Lisa, who is pregnant with their first child to eat regularly from the food that they bring as offerings.
together. He is a professor and lives in Springfield, but leaves to Peter Elliot – Laura’s boyfriend and a local doctor. He
attempt to travel to Colorado where Lisa’s parents live. The last frequently visits their house, bringing information about new
update that Miranda and her siblings receive is that Dad and illnesses and risks. He eventually succumbs to the flu epidemic.
Lisa had made it to the Kansas border, but weren’t being Dan – A member of Miranda’s swim team that she forms a brief
allowed into the state. romantic relationship with over the summer. They meet at
“Rachel” – The imaginary name that Miranda gives to her Miller’s Pond until Dan’s parents decide he should leave and
stepsister once she realizes Lisa’s due date has passed and travel west in search of better conditions.
she’s likely given birth. Miranda daydreams of conversations Sammi – A friend of Miranda’s. She is characterized as “dating
with her stepsister and a future in which they are together, all kinds of guys,” and after the moon impact she begins seeing
healthy, and happy. Since they are cut off from phone George, a much older man with resources and the means to get
communication and mail is no longer being delivered, Miranda her to Tennessee, where conditions are supposed to be better.
has no way of confirming whether or not the baby has been
born or what she was actually named. George – The forty-year-old boyfriend of Miranda’s friend
Sammi. He has connections that enable him to provide food and
Horton – The Evans’ family cat. He has the strongest bond with resources for Sammi’s family. He and Sammi move to Nashville.
Jonny, and when Miranda accidentally leaves the door open
and allows him to escape during the time while Jonny is away at Becky – A friend of Miranda, Megan, and Sammi’s who passed
camp, she agonizes over how to tell him that Horton is gone. away after a long illness before the beginning of the novel. She
Luckily Horton makes a surprise reappearance after being appears in Miranda’s dreams as a gatekeeper to heaven or food.
missing for eight days. Mrs. Dale
Daleyy – Miranda’s former figure skating coach. She also
Br
Brandon
andon Erlich – A famous ice skater whom Miranda idolizes. used to coach champion figure skater Brandon Erlich, a fact
Before turning pro, he trained with Mrs. Daley, the ice skating that Miranda likes to brag about in online forums before the
coach Miranda had until she was sidelined by an injury. Miranda asteroid’s impact.
is very active in Brandon’s message boards before the moon Gr
Grandma
andma – Miranda’s grandmother lives in Las Vegas. The
incident. Afterward she worries about his safety and well being. Evanses initially have contact with her and confirm that she’s
At one point in the narrative she recounts a day where she fine, but as communication systems deteriorate, they lose
meets Brandon and skates with him on Miller’s Pond, but later touch.
she doubts whether this actually occurred or was just a Michelle Schmidt – A classmate of Miranda’s who is
hallucination. supposedly abducted while walking home from church. This
Mr
Mr.. Mortensen – One of Miranda’s neighbors. After the story increases Miranda’s fears of walking alone in public. Later
asteroid collision the Evans family see him twice—once when Miranda sees Michelle leaving the town library and realizes the
there is neighborhood caroling on Christmas Eve, and once story isn’t true after all.
when he knocks on their door, desperate for medicine for his Ma
Mayyor FFord
ord – Along with Tom Danworth, he runs the food
sick wife. This is the first indication the Evans family has of the distribution for the town of Howell, PA.
deadly flu that decimates the population.
Tom Dan
Danworth
worth – Along with Mayor Ford, he runs the food
distribution for the town of Howell, PA.

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Mrs. Hotchkiss – The volunteer librarian in the town library. shortages.
On the day the library is closed, she encourages Miranda, Matt,
and Jonny to take as many books as they can carry because
there is no guarantee that it will ever open again. THEMES
Evan Smothers – A classmate of Miranda’s who becomes part In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color-
of an opportunistic gang in the aftermath of the lunar incident. coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes
Miranda encounters them looting stores in town but flees occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have
when she realizes they are armed. a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in
Ryan Miller – A former hockey teammate of Matt’s who black and white.
becomes part of an opportunistic gang in the aftermath of the
lunar incident. Miranda encounters them looting stores in town SURVIVAL AND DEATH
but flees when she realizes they are armed.
At its core, Life As We Knew It is a story about what
Hospital guards – Hired to guard the local hospital after the it takes to survive in a post-apocalyptic world. After
police department disbands. They warn Miranda that it is no an asteroid collision alters the rotational path of
longer safe for her (and women in general) to go out in public the moon, the world is faced with tsunamis, earthquakes,
alone. volcanoes, drastic climate change, and other catastrophes. The
Nurses – When Miranda ventures to the hospital to get help main characters: Miranda, her mother, Laura, and two brothers,
for her sick family, she finds it empty except for two nurses. The Jonny and Matt, face immense and ever-changing dangers as
nurses tell her the magnitude of the flu epidemic—Peter, along they struggle to adapt to an unstable and unpredictable world
with “just about everyone,” is dead. and to accept that “life as they knew it” is forever altered.
Aaron – A classmate of Jonny’s whose father is president of the In the days, then weeks, and months after the catastrophe, the
school board. hardships that the characters must face intensify. Slowly but
Aaron
Aaron’s’s father – The father of one of Jonny’s friends and surely they must endure and figure out how to live through the
president of the school board. Aaron’s father leads the meeting loss of, first, the basic physical comforts that they had always
that informs the town of closing schools. known, and then even more fundamental needs like heat and
food. But the family’s trials are not only physical. In fact, it is just
Emily – Along with Karen, Emily is a member of Miranda’s swim as hard, if not harder, to endure the spiritual and emotional
team. She occasionally swims at the Miller’s Pond with trials of the catastrophe. Miranda and her brothers all had
Miranda, interrupting her and Dan’s opportunities to be alone hopes, dreams, and ambitions before the asteroid strike. In the
and kiss. world afterwards, they must deal with the fact that those
Karen – Along with Emily, Karen is a member of Miranda’s dreams are gone. Their new goals aren’t professional teams or
swim team. She occasionally swims at Miller’s Pond with college degrees, but making it through another week or month.
Miranda, interrupting her and Dan’s opportunities to be alone The characters must also endure the way that their struggle to
and kiss. survive changes their values, their basic selves. In this new
Michael – A classmate of Miranda’s. He receives a piece of world where resources are limited, acts of altruism, such as
Megan’s sandwich when Megan begins to fast despite food contributing to a blanket drive or helping a sick neighbor or
shortages. friend are revealed to be dangerous, as acts that can endanger
one’s self or family. Meanwhile, the character’s begin to feel
Brian – A classmate of Miranda’s. He receives a piece of
both cut off from their own humanity—they can’t process or
Megan’s sandwich when Megan begins to fast despite food
feel connected to the millions of people dying across the world,
shortages.
even as they know it is a tragedy of vast proportions. At the
Jenna – A classmate of Miranda’s. She receives a piece of same time, the family must also watch as people around them,
Megan’s sandwich when Megan begins to fast despite food such as their beloved neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt, die. Such deaths
shortages. fill those who live with both terrible grief and a sense of
Mrs. Sanchez – Principal of Miranda’s high school. inevitability about their own deaths which can be terrible to
endure.
Madame O
O’Brien
’Brien – Miranda’s French teacher.
All this leads Miranda and her family to debate the cost of their
Mr
Mr.. Clifford – Miranda’s English teacher.
survival, whether it’s “worth it” to survive or if they even want
Ms. Hammish – Miranda’s history teacher. to continue to live during such unrelentingly bleak times. As the
Da
Davve – A classmate of Miranda’s. He receives a piece of book demonstrates, in such dire situations, people live on not
Megan’s sandwich when Megan begins to fast despite food for themselves but for others, such as the way Miranda

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struggles with how much it would pain her mother and Miranda leaves a food distribution line to try to find Dan to tell
brothers to watch her die. And yet, even such loving thoughts him him about the food being provided, and almost misses out
are complicated in a catastrophe, For example, Miranda also on getting food for her family. In the evaluation of family vs.
realizes that if she does die, there will be more food to feed her friends vs. neighbors, then, it quickly becomes clear that the
family. Her death could be a kind of gift that aids the survival of key to survival for the characters is to only focus on immediate
the rest of her family. family. Every other relationship becomes devalued and a
As Miranda spends her diary entries grappling with the potential liability. Miranda’s friend Sammi, meanwhile, gives up
decision to endure in a world that feels inhospitable to survival, on her typical teenage values and begins a relationship with a
Pfeffer is asking larger questions about what makes life worth forty-year-old man who has the connections to ensure her
living. Each character has to grapple with determining what survival and comfort in the changed world. As the dire situation
would be unendurable. For Miranda’s friend Megan’s mom, the worsens and the chances of survival begin to be a zero sum
death of her daughter drives her to suicide. Similarly, Miranda game in which one person getting resources means another
worries about her own mother’s ability to endure the death of person not getting them, characters start to constantly assess
her or her siblings. Through Miranda’s own conflicts and other character’s worthiness of receiving resources and, by
struggles, the reader is led to question their own ability to extension, of continuing to live.
survive in extreme conditions—not only what skills are Essentially, the arc of the novel is about stripping things down
necessary, but also what would we be willing to sacrifice in to what is truly valuable—and to reveal that what is valuable is
order to survive? And, at what point does the cost of survival very dependent on the nature of one’s situation. Pfeffer’s
become unendurable? exploration of what becomes valuable or is considered a
“commodity” in different situations, then, encourages readers
CURRENCY, COMMODITIES, AND VALUE to consider what is truly valuable in their own lives, what is
truly valuable in the civilization that we take for granted but is
The start of the book, which occurs before the
in fact just “life as we know it,” and how those priorities might
asteroid strike, portrays “life as we knew it,” and
change in a disaster situation.
what is seen as valuable seems familiar and normal
to the average American reader. Most obviously, money is used
as currency—and even in the days just after the disaster, cash is FAITH
the only thing people will accept. Meanwhile, Miranda, the As the world around them becomes increasingly
teenage girl protagonist, values school, grades, friends, boys, unpredictable and unstable, the beliefs of the
and ice skating. After the disaster, however, things change survivors are constantly challenged. With the
drastically, and what is seen as valuable and viewed as a escalating uncertainty and corrosion of fundamental beliefs,
commodity shifts as well. Cash quickly becomes useless, and the characters search for other answers to fill the voids and
people start to trade, steal, or hoard wood, gasoline, and food. answer their questions.
Schooling becomes less important—districts are consolidated Several characters, most notably Miranda’s friend Megan, turn
and very few students or teachers show up—while other kinds to religion to give them stability in the face of their anxieties.
of knowledge become more valuable. With radio, TV, and the They express deep conviction that the moon strike and
internet becoming unreliable and then failing entirely, new of resulting damages are the result of a Judeo-Christian God’s
the outside world becomes precious. Practice knowledge, such intervention; that the catastrophe happened because it was
as Peter’s medical knowledge but also Laura’s gardening hobby, meant to happen. This belief gives the catastrophe and the
ability to cook, and the family’s skiing skills, all become subsequent suffering it causes meaningful, as opposed to
suddenly lifesaving. In comparison, the intellectual professions meaningless, and leads these characters to a fervent need to
that Laura and Miranda’s father Hal had pursued before the prove they are worthy of salvation. Megan becomes so devoted
disaster—as an author and college professor—are no longer as to proving her worth that she starves herself to death. Miranda,
useful. while rejecting an idea of a vengeful God, is also impacted by
As the impact of the disaster continues and deepens, it’s not the faith of those around her, and she dreams that she’s being
only the value of skills and goods that are reassessed, but also blocked from Heaven. However, while some characters do find
relationships and, even more fundamentally, the basic value of comfort in their religious faith, prayer, supplication, and
other people. In the beginning of the book, Miranda is focused repentance are not presented as solutions to the problems of
on friendships and prom dates, but as the book progresses her the novel, and the novel shows how some “religious” people
social circle constricts dramatically. When she does enter into a take advantage of the religious sentiment of others: the
brief romantic relationship, both she and the boy, Dan, realize reverend at Megan’s church remains overweight throughout
that they cannot have a future—as feelings for each other the catastrophe—fed by the food offerings of his congregants.
would endanger their own survival. For instance, at one point On a more personal level, the weight of the characters’ faith in

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others also changes when the people they’ve always looked up Actively choosing not to leave a legacy is another possibility in
to can no longer provide the answers that they need. Miranda the story. Mrs. Nesbitt burns her journals and letters before
struggles with how the disaster has redefined her mother’s she dies so that no one is tempted to read them – in destroying
role, in that her mother doesn’t have the answers or guidance her legacy she erases her pain and suffering from the world.
Miranda has always expected adults to provide, and she cannot Mrs. Nesbitt’s action leads Miranda to question her own
shield her children from the cruel realities of the world. purpose for writing her journal. Is it boredom? Is she writing for
While there are many aspects of their everyday life that a future reader? Does she believe that there will be a future
Miranda and her family take for granted (or have “faith” in) at with readers who could learn from her experiences? Ultimately
the beginning of the novel, these are called into question as the Miranda decides that she’s writing the journal for herself, to
narrative progresses. The family members experience a loss or document what’s she’s endured so that she can look back. This
change in their expectation or dependence upon things like: decision comes from a place of hope, because it’s based on
electricity, running water, heat, food, medicine, Internet, Miranda’s belief that she will survive.
phones, and radio. On a much larger scale, even the rules of As characters are stripped of their opportunities to create
nature are rewritten by the asteroid’s collision, and the futures, the records they leave behind become increasingly
characters cannot depend on the fundamental “facts” that personally important. But, with the uncertainty of the times in
govern the natural world. For example, after Miranda’s watch which they live, it is also clear that there’s no way to ensure that
battery dies, she is no longer able to tell the time of day what they leave behind will ever be considered, and no way to
because the ashy sky prevents daylight from penetrating. govern the way in which it is interpreted. Thus the act of
Despite having no real need for time, this disorientation is leaving a legacy, as presented by the novel, is less about
continually disconcerting and reflects the shift Miranda needs creating a record for those who follow, and more of a way of
to make from faith in externalized elements, to internalized creating a personal record for the present, as a way of
beliefs about her own capabilities. processing experiences as they occur.
Throughout Life As We Knew It, Miranda struggles to find a
point of stability she can cling to. While others turn to religion PERSPECTIVE
or science, Miranda doesn’t find comfort in these, especially not Life as We Knew It is told in “epistolary” form,
in a world that feels deceptive and fickle. Denied the ability to through the entries of Miranda’s diary. This format
lean on her core beliefs about the nature of life and the world, is often used in novels featuring teen protagonists
Miranda often repeats the few fundamental things she does like I Capture the Castle, Go Ask Alice, The Princess Diaries, and
know – that she loves her family; that they are doing their best Absolutely Normal Chaos. It’s chosen as a way to enhance the
to get through this together. The narrative privileges hope, realism of the narrative—to create a stronger connection with
family, self-determination, and the willingness to sacrifice. It the character’s thoughts and feelings, though it also presents a
makes it clear that even when the characters don’t have faith unique set of limitations as well.
that they’ll live to see the sunrise—or even if the sun will
rise—they can look to an internalized center of control and Since the story is told through Miranda’s journal, many of her
draw their strength from that. thoughts and beliefs are recorded, but never verified or
challenged, and are unreliable because of the things she does
not know and the things she is too scared to ask. For example,
LEGACY Miranda frequently posits that her mother is ‘betting on’ Jonny
As Miranda and the others come to grips with their and Matt’s survival more than her own. Miranda offers
own mortality and the very real chance they might evidence of this via her observations and personal choices, but
not survive, they grapple with the idea of legacy, never directly affirms this with her mother, Laura. Emotion also
what is or is not left behind to represent their lives. A number often clouds Miranda’s thoughts, and her descriptions of fights
of characters in the novel seek to create a kind of artistic legacy, with her mother or kissing Dan by Miller’s Pond impact the
a record to capture what they think and experience in the tone and mood of the narrative. Furthermore, as her food
catastrophe, from Mrs. Nesbitt’s photographs, to Matt’s supply and energy dwindle, Miranda begins to second-guess
sketches, to Miranda’s diary entries. Miranda’s mother, her own thoughts: Did she really see figure skater Brandon
however, creates a different sort of legacy. She’d spent her Erlich at the pond, or did she fantasize it?
career as an author prior to these disasters, yet the legacy she Because Miranda is recording the events of her life as they
seeks to create has nothing to do with art. Knowing the occur—without the distance of time or a wider
unlikelihood of her whole family surviving, she chooses to make perspective—her newest entries constantly redefine those that
sure her children have a greater chance of living by eating less came before. She often retrospectively realizes that her
food. She sees her children as the legacy that will stay behind in evaluation of previous situations was inaccurate based on what
the world, and sacrifices herself for that cause.

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she now knows in her current reality. For instance, when her
THE ASH CLOUD
mother sprains her ankle for the first time, Miranda assumes
that this is the worst thing that could occur (and in general she When the ash from erupting volcanoes first
uses the words “best” and “worst” quite liberally), yet when her appears in the air, turning the sky a murky gray,
mother re-sprains her ankle at a time when their situation is Miranda is relieved because it obscures the moon and wistfully
more dire, she reflects back on her previous thoughts and writes in her journal, “I’m glad I don’t have to see it anymore. I
reevaluates them. can pretend it’s not there and if it isn’t, maybe things will get
back to normal.” But instead of things getting better, the ash
In addition, with limited news reaching their family, Miranda
cloud makes things worse, as temperatures plummet and crops
often loses perspective of the larger world. Her concerns must
die off from lack of sunlight. The ash cloud represents
focus on the immediacy of her own needs and those around
dreariness and a loss of hope. It is a physical manifestation of
her. As she says, “[W]ithout hearing what’s going on in the real
the bleak chances of the characters’ survival.
world, it’s easy to think there is no real world anymore, that
Howell, PA, is the only place left on earth.” The lack of reliable
sources of news, compounded by Miranda’s own needs not MILLER’S POND
being met, means that she often lacks the energy to care or
Miller’s pond is a local pond where Miranda and her
consider the well-being of those outside her immediate sphere.
family swim, skate, and socialize. After the events of
As the struggle for survival overtakes both Miranda and the
the moon impact and resulting natural disasters, Miller’s pond
rest of the world, her perspective is forced to narrow.
remained an oasis for Miranda. While the public pool has
The appearance of truth created through Miranda’s diary closed, she can still practice swimming at the pond. Later, when
entries is counterbalanced by the insular nature of her it freezes, she spends days ice-skating there. Going to the pond
experiences following the asteroid crash. The realism and is one of the few freedoms that Miranda is permitted as the
intimacy of her writing can also create a false sense of security, disasters and restrictions escalate. It’s at the pond that
lulling the reader into forgetting how influenced this story is by Miranda connects with friends from the swim team and
Pfeffer’s choice of narrator and method of narration. It is develops a short-lived romantic relationship with Dan. During
important to consider that Life As We Knew It is really the story the winter Miranda records that she spent the day skating with
of life as Miranda knew it, and not a global or objective her hero Brandon Erlich, but she later questions in her journal
perspective at all. whether or not it was a delusion. The pond thus represents an
idyllic version and reminder of the world that no longer exists.

SYMBOLS
THE PANTRY
Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and
In the days following the disaster, Laura, Mrs.
Analysis sections of this LitChart.
Nesbitt, Jonny, and Miranda have a shopping spree
for nonperishable items, which they use to fill their pantry. It is
THE MOON later re-stocked with boxes of food when Mrs. Nesbitt dies and
they take her supplies, and again when Hal comes to visit. The
Traditionally the moon often symbolizes a natural
pantry represents security and a chance that the family will
rhythm or cycle, but the moon in Life As We Knew It
survive. But, with the exception of the few times when they are
has been knocked off course by a dense asteroid. The moon in
filling it, Laura discourages her children from opening the door
this novel, then, represents the opposite: uncertainty and
or looking inside. The pantry, with its door closed and contents
discord. When the moon is moved closer to Earth, the change in
hidden, can create a false sense of security—lulling them into a
its gravitational pull causes tsunamis and earthquakes. It also
belief that their food supplies are sufficient. When, late in the
causes volcanoes to erupt—not just active volcanoes, but ones
novel, Miranda decides to take an inventory of the pantry, she is
that had been long dormant and new ones that had hadn’t
horrified to discover “There’s maybe 2 weeks worth of food if
existed prior to the moon incident. The moon is thus the source
only Jon and Matt eat. With Mom and me eating occasionally,
of all of the unnatural disasters and hardships that are affecting
we’ll run out of food in 10 days.” But after her life-saving
the characters’ lives, and even the moon’s appearance—closer
discovery of the food distribution at the end, Miranda proudly
to the earth and at an odd angle—is frightening and unfamiliar,
records the new bags of food in the pantry and hopes that
a reminder of everything that has gone wrong.
these and more like them will help her family endure.

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THE YELLOW FLYER collision. What she’s calling ‘dramatic’ turns out to be not
At the end of the novel, when her family’s food laughable in the face of the real reaction caused by the
supply is almost gone, Miranda walks toward town, asteroid. And the homework assignments that Miranda
intending to spare her family from having to witness her death. bemoans will soon be rendered unnecessary and laughable,
When she can walk no further she sits down to record her last because the priorities of society as a whole will shift away
thoughts. While doing so she spies a flash of yellow in the from education and toward survival.
street. After living under the ominous ash cloud sky for many
months, the color is startling. “My world has been nothing but
shades of gray for so long that the yellow almost hurt my eyes.” Chapter 2 Quotes
Despite her fatigue and weakness, the sight of the flyer buoys
Sometimes when Mom is getting ready to write a book she
Miranda’s spirits and she uses her remaining strength to chase
says she doesn’t know where to start, that the ending is so clear
it down. “But it was yellow. I had to have it.” The paper directs
to her that the beginning doesn’t seem important anymore. I
her to City Hall where food distribution has commenced,
feel that way now only I don’t know what the ending is, not even
thereby saving herself and her family from starvation. The flyer,
what the ending is tonight.
then, and specifically its yellow color, symbolizes hope and the
possibility of a brighter future ahead.
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Laura Evans

QUO
QUOTES
TES Related Themes:

Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the Page Number: 16
Harcourt edition of Life as We Knew It published in 2006.
Explanation and Analysis

Chapter 1 Quotes Miranda is writing in her diary after the asteroid’s collision
with the moon, and even though the collision has happened
They said asteroids hit the moon pretty often, which is and the day is over, she’s struggling with how to gather her
how the moon gets its craters, but this one is going to be the thoughts and put them in context. Her comparison to the
biggest asteroid ever to hit it and on a clear night you should be way in which Laura writes novels is apt, because Miranda is
able to see the impact when it happens... They made it sound recognizing that the details she thought were important
pretty dramatic, but I still don’t think it’s worth three and relevant that morning have been rendered obsolete by
homework assignments. the events of the night. Despite this, Miranda recounts her
entire day in her journal, even the parts that no longer seem
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker) important. She does this to create context for the events of
the night and also as a delay tactic, since she’s not quite
Related Themes: ready to process what has just happened. The fact that
Miranda doesn’t know what will happen next has left her
Related Symbols: shaken, and even the act of writing about it doesn’t bring
the comfort she craves.
Page Number: 11

Explanation and Analysis Chapter 3 Quotes

Miranda is detailing how newscasters discuss the Somehow I’d forgotten there were other countries, that
impending asteroid collision with the surface of the moon. we shared the moon with other countries.
It’s been getting a lot of news coverage and has generated a
lot of school assignments from her teachers. Miranda, who
is finishing up her sophomore year in high school, is both Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
pleased by anything that brings excitement and novelty to
her life, but also highly skeptical that this asteroid is going to Related Themes:
live up to the hype.
Related Symbols:
This quote is heavy on the foreshadowing, because while all
of the predictions about the asteroid’s size and impact turn
Page Number: 28
out to be true, no one had any idea of the result of the

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One thing Matt did say to me was that no matter what the
Explanation and Analysis future is, we’re living through a very special time in history.
He says that history makes us who we are, but we can make
In the aftermath of the moon’s collision, Miranda struggles
history also, and that anyone can be a hero, if they just choose
to make sense of everything that has gone on—the loss of
to be.
electricity, the massive loss of lives along both coasts of
America. She’s heard the reports on the news and heard
directly from her brother Matt and her father. These facts, Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Matt Evans
however, don’t feel real yet, because other than the moon’s
strange appearance and the inconsistent electricity, they Related Themes:
haven’t impacted her personal life. Even less important to
her is the idea that other countries’ survival is affected. Page Number: 57
Miranda had always hoped to travel abroad, but had never Explanation and Analysis
gotten the chance. The idea that these countries, which
were already less concrete in her mind, were as impacted by Miranda records Matt’s pep talk in her diary, but she’s
the asteroid strike as the United States feels surreal to feeling skeptical as well as insecure about her own ability to
Miranda. This line reads as self-absorbed, but it’s also be heroic. While Miranda idealizes Matt, she feels like her
because she’s so overwhelmed by what’s going on in her own cravings for ice cream and swim team and normalcy
immediate vicinity that Miranda hasn’t had a chance to disqualify her from the category of hero. Miranda does
process or reflect on what’s happening outside her sphere. recognize that Matt is her hero, but she also fails to realize
that being heroic and being human are not mutually
exclusive, and that Matt, like her, probably craves an escape
from the burdens that have been thrust on him since his
Chapter 4 Quotes
return from college. Like Miranda, there are surely things
I know it’s dumb of me, but I keep thinking that once Matt about life before the moon collision that Matt misses as
gets home, everything will be okay. Like he’ll push the moon well.
back into place.

Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Matt Evans Chapter 5 Quotes

“There are lots of different ways to be hungry, you know.
Related Themes: Some people are hungry for food and others are hungry for
God’s love.” She gave me a look then, pure Megan, to let me
Related Symbols: know which camp I fell into.

Page Number: 48
Related Characters: Miranda Evans, Megan Wayne
Explanation and Analysis (speaker)
Miranda has documented her hero worship of her older
brother, Matt. When he calls from college to let her know Related Themes:
that he’ll be done taking finals and home soon, Miranda’s
Page Number: 69
relief is palpable. She recognizes that Matt doesn’t actually
possess any super powers or supplies that will make it Explanation and Analysis
easier for her family to survive the aftermath of the moon’s
Megan and Miranda have very different ways of reacting to
collision with the asteroid, but she also knows that his
the moon’s collision with the asteroid. While Miranda finds
presence is calming for her. Her faith in his ability to make
comfort in being with the people she loves, Megan becomes
things better is both a compliment and a curse for
even more involved with her church. Both of these are
Matt—especially since their parents are divorced. While he
exaggerations of their pre-moon priorities: Miranda has
might not be capable of pushing the moon back into place,
always been family oriented, and Megan’s participation with
many jobs that should have been completed by his father,
church youth group activities had already tested their
Hal, will now fall on Matt’s shoulders. Not the least of these
friendship.
is reassuring his younger siblings that things will be okay.
Here, however, is a time where Megan’s judgment is turned
against Miranda. Prior to this, it was their friend Sammi and

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her dating life that had been the usual target of Megan’s Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
religious scorn. In this dialogue, however, Megan is lashing
out against Miranda’s concern that she isn’t eating enough. Related Themes:
Miranda believes it’s foolish for Megan to be sharing her
sandwich at lunch when food is so scarce. Megan, however, Page Number: 95
views this as an opportunity to demonstrate her Christ-like
Explanation and Analysis
generosity. Their different perspectives escalate into a
disagreement, one that will plague their relationship until As power outages continue and their supplies dwindle,
Megan dies—having starved to death while still insisting it is Miranda’s perspective changes. Things that she had once
God’s will she do so. taken for granted are now the focus of her appreciation. In
this scene, Laura has made bread with some forgotten
yeast. Since the electricity cooperated and stayed on for an
extended period of time, the family celebrates by toasting a
“I’m the one not caring. I’m the one pretending the earth piece of bread to share and watching not news and the lists
isn’t shattering all around me because I don’t want it to of the dead like they typically do, but sitcoms. A shared
be... I don’t want anything more to be afraid of. I didn’t start this piece of toast and reruns would not have brought Miranda
diary for it to be a record of death.” joy before the asteroid’s collision, but now her perspective
has shifted and she’s able to feel almost euphoric about
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker) these simple pleasures. Her comparison between sitcoms
and toast and Santa and the other characters is significant.
Related Themes: Like the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy, a world in which
toast and TV can be taken for granted feels like a childlike
Page Number: 71 fantasy—both innocent and unrealistic.
Explanation and Analysis
Miranda has seemingly reached her tolerance threshold for
“You think we’re going to die,” I said.
disaster and bad news. Rather than compulsively seek out
Any sadness immediately evaporated and rage took its
information like they all had in the days after the quake,
place. “Don’t you ever say that to me again!” she yelled. “None
Miranda has now begun to try and insulate herself from
of us is going to die. I will not allow that to happen.”
new information. She berates herself for this action, and for
the numbness she’s begun to feel—comparing her reactions
to those of her family and other people around her, and Related Characters: Laura Evans, Miranda Evans (speaker)
judging herself as lacking because she isn’t exhibiting the
same types of compassion she attributes to everyone else. Related Themes:
While Miranda criticizes herself for “not caring,” she fails to
Page Number: 101
recognize just how human her reactions are. Her responses
to the incremental traumas of the past few weeks have Explanation and Analysis
actually resulted in a normal self-preservation response.
Miranda and her mother, Laura, argue frequently
The fact that the very next day she gets so excited about the
throughout the novel, but this particular fight is brutal.
idea of a blanket drive to help those in New York and New
Laura is furious that Miranda left a food distribution line in
Jersey proves just how inaccurate her self-reflection is—she
order to chase down her boyfriend, Dan. Laura’s fear that
isn’t devoid of compassion, she actually cares a great deal,
food could’ve run out while Miranda was away is palpable,
and it was simply the lack of an outlet for those feelings that
and causes Miranda to realize just how dire their situation
led her to shut down emotionally.
has become.
When Miranda accuses Laura of thinking they’re going to
Chapter 6 Quotes die, Laura’s reaction is more telling than Miranda’s
statement. While Laura is vowing that she won’t “allow” her
Watching sitcoms was like eating toast. Two months ago, it children to die, this is something she has very little control
was so much a part of my life I didn’t even notice it. But now it over. Laura has very little control over anything these days,
feels like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy which is why she’s becoming increasingly fixated on
and the Wizard of Oz all rolled into one.

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Chapter 7 Quotes
knowing her children’s whereabouts at all times. It’s also
why she’s become so focused on the contents of their Maybe we’ll be lucky. Maybe something good will happen
pantry and being the only one who is in charge of those that we can’t imagine just now. But we have to prepare for the
supplies. These actions give her a semblance of worst. You and I and Matt and Jonny have to prepare for the
control—they enable her to believe that if she makes the worst. We have to assume frosts in August. We have to assume
right choices and keeps her children close, she can ensure no power and no food coming and no gas for the car and no oil
their safety throughout all of the moon collision’s aftermath. for the furnace. Up till now we’ve been playacting survival, but
from now on we have to take it seriously.

“I know Mom doesn’t want us to die,” I said. I thought really Related Characters: Laura Evans (speaker), Jonny Evans,
hard about what I wanted to say so it would come out Matt Evans, Miranda Evans
right. “But I think maybe she doesn’t want us to live, either. We
should just hide in our rooms and not feel anything and if we Related Themes:
get rescued, great, but if we don’t, well, maybe we’ll live a little
longer. If you can call it living. I know Mom tells you things she Related Symbols:
doesn’t tell me, but am I wrong? Because I really feel that way
more and more. I’d like to be wrong, because it scares me if Page Number: 123
Mom feels that way. But I don’t think I am.” Explanation and Analysis
When Miranda wakes up to a strange gray sky, Laura and
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Laura Evans, Matt explain that volcanoes have been erupting all around
Matt Evans the world. The resulting ash cloud from these eruptions has
begun to block the sun and will change not only the
Related Themes: temperature, but also impact the ability to grow any crops.
While Laura has been in survival mode since the day after
Page Number: 105
the asteroid’s collision with the moon, now she informs
Explanation and Analysis Miranda that they’ll need to take things to the next level.
Miranda is talking with her older brother, Matt, and Miranda panics at this pronouncement, particularly Laura’s
discussing the aftermath of her argument with Laura. categorization of what’s happened so far as “playacting
Miranda has begun to process and understand why Laura survival,” because it hasn’t seemed like a game to Miranda
has been so controlling lately—why she panics if Matt stays and she thought she had been taking it seriously. Once she
out too long chopping wood or if Miranda goes to Miller’s gets past the sting of that comment, she realizes the
Pond without telling her. But while Miranda understands truth—things have been bad so far, but they’re only going to
her mother’s motives, she doesn’t truly understand the get worse.
feelings behind them.
Instead, Miranda is processing her mother’s actions through
her own vantage point. Miranda has recognized that their
Chapter 8 Quotes
future is dubious, but rather than subscribe to Laura’s I know Dan thinks I’m lucky that I’ve been “untouched” by
abundance of caution approach, Miranda is advocating everything that’s happened. And I know I’m self-pitying to think
living her life to the fullest. While Laura is prioritizing otherwise. But sometimes I wonder if the big cannonball horror
keeping them all alive for as long as possible, Miranda’s of knowing someone you love has died is all that much worse
position is that they need to enjoy the life they do have. The than the everyday attrition of life.
disparity between their positions is alarming to Miranda, as
she struggles to let go of her sixteen-year-old girl Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Dan
perspective and understand the larger powers at work on
her life. Related Themes:

Page Number: 150

Explanation and Analysis

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Chapter 10 Quotes
Throughout the novel Miranda is constantly creating
comparisons to determine if’s she good enough, brave I write stuff down in here and I don’t read it. Things are
enough, strong enough, moral enough. Here, she has just bad enough without having to remind myself of just how bad
said goodbye to the boy she’s been seeing throughout the things are.
summer, and she wonders if she’s suffered “enough.” Dan is But I just read what I wrote a couple of days ago. All about how
leaving town—leaving his parents behind as he goes to find wonderful school is and all that crap. Tests. Whoo-whoo.
somewhere where conditions are better. His sister’s name Report cards. Whoo-whoo. The future. Biggest whoo-whoo of
had shown up on the lists of the dead, and his mother is in them all.
the hospital. He’s not sure if she’ll make it. His comment
about Miranda being “lucky” not to have known anyone who Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
has died yet sits uncomfortably with Miranda, and for once
she isn’t devaluing her own experiences and worth. In this Related Themes:
case she is acknowledging the pain of having lost a loved
one, but also respecting the constant emotions of spending Page Number: 168
each day of hardships with the people you love—and the
Explanation and Analysis
accumulative fear of waiting and worrying that something
will happen to them. Miranda has repeatedly stated that her journal is an
ongoing record, not something she re-reads, or has any
desire to re-read. But in this entry Miranda does look back
to what she had written a few days before—when she had
“Life may not continue the way we know it today, but it will
been cautiously optimistic about school and looking
continue. Life endures. I’ll always believe that.”
forward to the purpose it would give to her days. She had
stated that no one talks about the future for fear of jinxing
Related Characters: Peter Elliot (speaker), Jonny Evans, it—and that fear had turned out to be prescient, because
Miranda Evans she’s just returned from a meeting where it was announced
the schools won’t be opening as usual this year.
Related Themes:
Miranda records a dramatic change in her perspective, one
that occurred over the course of just a few days. Having
Page Number: 152
dared to hope, she’s opened herself up to the possibility of
Explanation and Analysis disappointment, a possibility that has manifested. All those
In the middle of a dinner party with their family, including times where people reassured her that things would be
Mrs. Nesbitt, Hal, Lisa, and Peter, Jonny asks the table what back to normal ‘by fall’ have proved to be false. And school
will happen when the food runs out. Not, if, but when. This as she knew it is unlikely to occur again.
question instantly changes the mood, with Lisa leaving the
table and Hal going after her, but the others take Jonny’s
question seriously and offer him realistic answers that boil But without hearing what’s going on in the real world, it’s
down to I don’t know. easy to think there is no more real world anymore, that
Peter, who Miranda has come to associate with pessimism Howell, PA, is the only place left on earth.
and bad news, since he always comes with stories and What if there is no more New York or Washington or LA? I can’t
warnings about the latest illness and threats to their health, even imagine a London or Paris or Moscow anymore.
is actually the one who offers the most optimistic How will we know? I don’t even know what time it is anymore.
answer—that life will endure. Within his answer he
acknowledges that it may never return to the “normal” of Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
before the moon’s collision with the asteroid, but that life
will go on. Related Themes:

Page Number: 174

Explanation and Analysis

The radio stations are no longer broadcasting. Miranda’s
family still has batteries, but there is nothing to listen to and

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Matt points out that the stations must have run out of fuel core. Part of this is that when Miranda biked to the hospital
for their generators. Without any source of news from the to seek help from Peter, she was denied entrance by armed
outside world, it’s hard for Miranda to remember that it still guards who got twisted pleasure from her despair and
exists at all. Her perspective within this entry vacillates from discomfort. If it weren’t for Matt’s arrival and his
the local to global, then back to local. acquaintance with one of the guards, they would not have
It’s hard for her to picture life beyond the boundaries of her been allowed to contact Peter at all, and Miranda didn’t
town, and as the narrative progresses and the Evans family think she had the strength to bike back home. This terrifies
is snowbound, those boundaries will shrink to just her Miranda, as it’s a complete shake-up of the world she’s
property. Since she can’t even count on receiving news from grown up in—one in which you can depend on hospitals for
her father, Sammi, Dan, or anyone else who is traveling help and people don’t enjoy others’ pain.
within her country, it’s impossible for her to imagine life But the bigger issue that Miranda’s reacting to is how this
internationally. At times this means Miranda can dream that accident reveals the family’s fragility. It makes her aware
other locations are untouched by these disasters, but more that anything could go wrong at any moment, and while
often it manifests as her forgetting they even exist. The they’ve been surviving day-to-day, next time something
concerns at home are too pressing and immediate for her to goes wrong it could be much, much worse. It is the unknown
have time for worrying about foreign countries full of and the potential that Miranda’s reacting to, instead of the
people she’s never met. actual events of the day.
The final beat of this entry, about Miranda no longer
knowing the time, feels disconnected with the rest of the
complaints, until viewed in the larger picture of her Chapter 14 Quotes
disorientation. Without the sunlight to orient her to day and I know it shouldn’t bother me but it does. I can see Mom’s
night and with her watch having stopped, Miranda can’t tell upset, too, even though she’s acting like she isn’t. I guess it’s
the difference in time of day—a fundamental that she’s because things have been kind of level for awhile, and now
depended on and taken for granted, in the same way she’s they’re worse again. Not big bad worse...but worse anyway.
always taken for granted that a larger world exists. Neither
of those is certain anymore.
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Laura Evans

Related Themes:
Chapter 13 Quotes
But for that one moment I felt so weak, so helpless. I felt Page Number: 214
nothing but fear and despair and the most awful need to be
Explanation and Analysis
anyplace else. I told myself it was hunger, but I knew that was a
lie. The natural gas has run out in the Evanses’ home. This won’t
As long as Mom was all right, I could fool myself into thinking be a catastrophic event for them the way it will be for many
we’d all be all right. But even though I knew Mom could have of the people in their community, because they still have a
fallen anytime and sprained her ankle anytime, this felt as woodstove that they can use for heat and cooking. But
though it was the beginning of the end. despite having been warned that this day is coming, its
arrival catches Miranda and Laura off guard. In their fragile
state of survival, any change is significant, and a change that
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Laura Evans
makes their life more difficult is very upsetting. Miranda
keeps waiting for things to get better, yet the months and
Related Themes:
seasons keep passing without improvement—in fact,
Page Number: 206 conditions have deteriorated, and with every indication that
they’ll only continue to get worse.
Explanation and Analysis
Laura has sprained her ankle and Peter has directed her to
keep all weight off of it while it heals. In the grand scheme of
things nothing dire has happened—Laura will recover and
Jonny, Matt, and Miranda are capable of taking care of the
chores by themselves, but this event shakes Miranda to her

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Chapter 15 Quotes
I’ve never really thought about what it would be like to be Related Symbols:
an old woman. Of course nowadays I’m not sure I’ll live long
enough to be any kind of woman. Page Number: 236
But I hope when I get closer to death, however old I might be,
Explanation and Analysis
that I can face it with courage and good sense the way Mrs.
Nesbitt does. I hope that’s a lesson I’ve truly learned. Matt has arranged to get plywood from the black market
gang in town. Miranda resents this fact because he didn’t
consult her—but more so because he uses this plywood to
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Mrs. Nesbitt cover the windows of their house to help insulate it against
the bitter cold.
Related Themes:
Miranda had already been chafing against the
Page Number: 234 claustrophobia of spending almost all of her time inside her
house with just her family for company, and this further
Explanation and Analysis narrowing of her world feels catastrophic. While she rarely
Once Laura is confined to their home due to her sprained thinks of the world outside her family and her town, this
ankle, the task of visiting their neighbor, Mrs. Nesbitt, feels like yet another piece of evidence that she’ll never get
becomes another of Miranda’s chores. Since Mrs. Nesbitt to achieve the future she’d always planned on. International
has been like a member of Miranda’s family, when she starts travel is impossible in a world where she doesn’t know if
to matter-of-factly discuss her death and the things she’d other cities even exist anymore—facts that feel less
like done after she’s passed, Miranda is understandably pertinent than the fact that her own bedroom is now too
shaken. cold for her to live in and her world has shrunk again.
She quickly comes to realize, however, how Mrs. Nesbitt’s
plans are an act of love and a blessing. Mrs. Nesbitt doesn’t
want the others to worry after she’s gone. She doesn’t want “But as long as we don’t know what the future is going to
her body to be a burden, and she wants to make sure her bring us, we owe it to ourselves to keep living. Things could
belongings and supplies go where they’ll be of the most use. get better. Somewhere people are working on solutions to all
Unlike Miranda’s friend Megan, who not only embraced this. They have to be. It’s what people do. And our solution is to
death, but actively sought it, Mrs. Nesbitt has no desire to stay alive one day at a time. Everyone dies in increments,
rush her demise. She simply knows that it’s inevitable and Miranda. Every day we’re one day closer to death. But there’s
accepts that fact with calm certainty. no reason to rush into it. I intend to stay alive as long as I
Miranda does internalize these lessons, and when things possibly can and I expect the same from you.”
become grim and her own survival seems unlikely, she faces
it with stoicism and courage. Related Characters: Laura Evans (speaker), Miranda Evans

Related Themes:
I’d dream of Paris, of London, of Tokyo. I wanted to go to
Page Number: 238
South America, to Africa. I always assumed I could
someday. Explanation and Analysis
But my world keeps getting smaller and smaller. No school. No
Laura delivers this pep talk in response to Miranda’s
Pond. No town. No bedroom. Now I don’t even have the view
reaction to the pronouncement that the whole family will be
out the windows.
moving to the sunroom to preserve what little is left of the
I feel myself shriveling along with my world, getting smaller and
heating oil. Miranda, who rather stoically endures the
harder.
hardships of starvation and other difficulties, cannot handle
this loss of privacy. She’s already been feeling overwhelmed
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Matt Evans by her lack of personal space, and this move to share a room
with three other people removes even the illusion of it. In
Related Themes: her emotional outburst, she doesn’t see the point in
attempting to survive because everything about living feels
insurmountable.

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Laura’s speech is counterpoint to this; she provides

Related Themes:
optimism in a global sense, which contrasts directly with
Miranda’s feelings about her world shrinking. Laura posits
Page Number: 275
that somewhere people are working on a solution—that
somewhere there is hope and progress being made and all Explanation and Analysis
they need to do is endure until it happens. Miranda’s diary entries are a reflection of her constantly
shifting experiences and perspective. While she’s frequently
moved to recount some small joy or simple moment that
Chapter 17 Quotes happened throughout the day, the general shift in tone is
“If we all die, you’ll leave,” I said. “Because you’ll be strong toward a greater bleakness. Despite the quiet moments of
enough to. And maybe someplace in America or Mexico or laughter and love with her family, the situation has not
somewhere things are better and you’ll manage to get there. improved. Each day there is less food in their pantry, and
And then Mom’s life and Matt’s and mine won’t have been a each week seems to bring new threats or fears—injuries,
waste.” illnesses, the danger of the roof collapsing or being snowed
in during an emergency. Miranda’s journal entry here is
neither a celebration nor a complaint: it’s resignation. She
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker), Matt Evans,
doesn’t see the point in complaining about the hardships of
Laura Evans, Jonny Evans
her days, because she realizes how quickly her perspective
Related Themes: is changing—and what had seemed insurmountable a week
ago will likely feel like a triviality compared to whatever
Page Number: 273 challenge she has to face next.

Explanation and Analysis

Miranda is trying to comfort Jonny about what will happen Chapter 18 Quotes
if they all don’t survive. She’s trying to make sense of why We hugged each other and said we should see more of
everyone in their family insists Jonny eat the most, even each other, but I doubt that we will. We don’t want anyone else
though they’re all starving. Much in the way Matt treats her to know how much food we have or firewood. And they don’t
with respect when she asks questions she suspects are want us to know, either.
ridiculous, Miranda is trying to answer Jonny’s questions
with the dignity and seriousness they deserve.
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
Once Miranda had resented the same plan she now repeats
to her brother—she’d been jealous that Jonny was given Related Themes:
more food and that her mom had pinned all her hopes on
him. Now, however, she embraces it. It’s not that Miranda Page Number: 280
wants to or expects to die, but she is grateful that if she
does, the choices and hunger they’ve faced will give Jonny a Explanation and Analysis
chance to leave and survive. She’s started to view him as a When Miranda and her family join their neighbors in
part of her legacy. Her sacrifice being the price of his caroling on Christmas Eve, it is the first time they have
survival is a price that she’s willing to pay. gathered since the impromptu block party to watch the
asteroid collision. And the circumstances are incredibly
different—that night started festive and turned to panic,
Every day when I got to sleep I think what a jerk I was to and this night their spirits started bleak and were cheered
have felt sorry for myself the day before. My Wednesdays by the knowledge that they aren’t alone. And though
are worse than my Tuesdays, my Tuesdays way worse than my Miranda has repeatedly expressed how tired she is of
Tuesday of a week before. Which means every tomorrow is spending time with just her brothers and mother, and as
going to be worse than every today. Why feel sorry for myself much as she enjoys seeing that they are not the only people
today when tomorrow’s bound to be worse? still alive in the neighborhood, Miranda is quick to clarify
that she doesn’t foresee them socializing again any time
soon. There’s too much at stake, and too much they’re
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker) keeping hidden—mainly what they have for supplies and

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their chances of survival. Miranda appreciates these

Related Themes:
neighbors in abstract—as in, she’s grateful they’re not the
last people alive, but she doesn’t want to get to know them
Page Number: 299
personally. For her right now, her family is enough, and
much like Laura had told her when Miranda started seeing Explanation and Analysis
Dan over the summer, Miranda now realizes that forming Miranda has woken up to discover that the rest of her family
relationships with other people would only endanger her has fallen ill with the flu that has decimated the local
family’s survival. population. She doesn’t know if they’ll survive, but the two
surviving nurses at the hospital tell her it’s very unlikely.
Miranda is exhausted from caring for Jonny, Laura, and Matt
Do people ever realize how precious life is? I know I never all day. She’s terrified that they will die and she’ll be left
did before. There was always time. There was always a alone, but also scared that if she falls ill, there will be no one
future. left to take care of them. Despite the fact that she’s
Maybe because I don’t know anymore if there is a future, I’m stretched herself to her limits, physically and emotionally,
grateful for the good things that have happened to me this year. Miranda still takes the time to record her thoughts about
the day before going to sleep. This is an indication of how
uncertain she feels about the future. Though she feels fine
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
right now, she knows there’s no guarantee that she’ll wake
Related Themes: up in the morning. In case that happens, she wants there to
be a record—for some hypothetical future reader—of how
Page Number: 287 hard she tried to save her family and what has happened to
them.
Explanation and Analysis
It seems almost ridiculous for Miranda to spend her New
Year’s Eve expressing gratitude for the previous year. Since Chapter 21 Quotes
the asteroid’s collision in May, her life has only gotten I’d left a record. People would know I had lived. That
increasingly painful and more difficult. But despite this—in counted for a lot.
fact, because of this, Miranda has come to appreciate
aspects of life that she’d taken for granted before the
disaster. Miranda no longer takes anything for granted, not Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
even her life or the idea that she’ll have a future. Instead
Related Themes:
she’s taken to using her diary not only to chronicle her
hardships and complaints, but also the simple joys she
Page Number: 330
experiences with her family—sharing stories, playing poker
and Scrabble, things that make their cat purr, joking about Explanation and Analysis
the horrible haircuts they’ve given each other to help stay At this point Miranda has resigned herself to the fact that
clean, ice skating, etc. Her change in perspective reflects the she won’t survive. And much like she admired Mrs. Nesbitt’s
fact that she knows they may not survive, so she wants to courage and dignity in the way she faced her death in
make the most of the time she does have with the people Chapter 15, Miranda is now trying to come to terms with
she loves. her own mortality. One of the ways she justifies this to
herself is by reflecting on her journal. Unlike Mrs. Nesbitt,
who had burned all of her journals and letters before death,
Chapter 19 Quotes Miranda finds comfort in the idea that her words could
I don’t even know why I’m writing this down, except that I outlive her. As she walks to what she believes will be her
feel fine and maybe tomorrow I’ll be dead. And if that happens, death, she is grateful for the journal’s existence—and the
and someone should find my journal, I want them to know what fact that it proves her own existence. She’s struggled so
happened. hard to survive since the moon incident and overcome so
much, and the idea that people could read about her life and
she wouldn’t be forgotten, wouldn’t be just another name
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
on the list of the dead, is something that brings her comfort.

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But today, when I am 17 and warm and well fed, I’m
keeping this journal for myself so that I can always the survivors, something to keep away from nosy little
remember life as we knew it, life as we know it, for a time when brothers, and documents that proved her existence. As the
I am no longer in the sunroom. book ends, however, Miranda spends its concluding lines
redefining what the journal means. She no longer pictures it
as an artifact for someone else—Miranda has now
Related Characters: Miranda Evans (speaker)
embraced her journal as something she’s keeping for
herself. This is the ultimate act of hope, because it requires
Related Themes:
Miranda to change her perspective on her own mortality, a
Page Number: 337 complete shift from earlier in the same chapter when she
was convinced that she would die. Now Miranda is
Explanation and Analysis determined to live, determined to celebrate the moments of
Throughout the novel Miranda has questioned the purpose her life, and determined to reach a future where she no
behind her journal. She has objected to it being a record of longer lives within the confines of the sunroom and can look
the dead, thought of it as a record she’s kept to be read by back and reflect on how far she’s come.

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.

CHAPTER 1
May 7. Sixteen-year-old high school sophomore Miranda Evans We are introduced to Miranda, and through her perspective, her
records in her journal that her dad, Hal, has called to tell her family as well. Miranda thinks affectionately of both her
that his new wife, Lisa, is pregnant. Miranda is home alone brothers—and despite the divorce, she’s close to her father and
when Hal calls, as her mom, Laura, is taking her younger doesn’t want to disappoint him with her apathetic reaction to his
brother Jonny to baseball practice and Miranda’s older brother baby news.
Matt is away at college. Hal is very excited about the new baby,
and Miranda tries to sound excited too.

Miranda then talks to Lisa, her new stepmom, and Miranda’s begrudging affection for her stepmom shows how she
congratulates her. Miranda tries to dislike Lisa, but always finds values her relationships with her family. Because she wants to
that she’s very nice. Lisa asks Miranda to be the new baby’s please others, Miranda is unable to turn down Lisa’s request to be
godmother, and Miranda feels overwhelmed by this request, godmother. At the same time, Miranda is still primarily concerned
but agrees. Miranda then talks more with Hal, and they discuss with herself, and worries that this role (which is clearly important to
Miranda’s desire to start ice-skating again, as well as Brandon her dad and stepmom) might mean new responsibilities for her.
Erlich, a local skater with Olympic ambitions.

Later on, after the phone call is over, Laura comes home and Once again, Miranda’s relationships with her family are
Miranda tells her about the baby. Laura says that’s “nice,” and emphasized. It is clear how emotionally bound she is to
Miranda thinks about how her parents tried to have a “good them—especially her mother—and how much she wishes for
divorce.” Miranda then thinks more about becoming a stability. Rather than feel proud that she alone was asked to be a
godmother, and wonders why Matt and Jonny weren’t asked to godparent, she worries about her brothers’ reactions.
be godfathers. She hopes Lisa will change her mind about the
request.

May 8. On Mother’s Day Miranda volunteers to cook dinner for Miranda’s closeness to her mother is demonstrated through the
her mother (Laura) and their neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt. Miranda’s dinner she plans and cooks for her and Mrs. Nesbitt, who, while not
friend Megan and her mother (Mrs. Wayne) were also a blood relative, is considered part of their family unit. Megan’s last-
supposed to attend, but Megan calls to say she’s decided to minute cancellation upsets Miranda, both because of the effort
stay at church instead. Even hours later when she’s writing in she’d put into dinner, and also because she feels devalued by
her journal, Miranda is upset by Megan’s decision, and by how Megan’s choice of youth group over their plans. Each girl’s
much time Megan has been spending with her youth group. disapproval of the other’s priorities is a hint of how the conflicts
Miranda thinks of the various disagreements she and Megan between them will escalate, and foreshadows the role that Reverend
have had about Megan’s religion—particularly a fight when Marshall will play in Megan’s downfall.
Miranda said that Megan hadn’t found God, she’d just found
Reverend Marshall. Megan had responded that Miranda has
deified a figure skater, Brandon Erlich. The journal entry ends
with Miranda annoyed about studying and wishing for summer
and her driver’s license.

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May 11-12. Miranda recounts several events from her days Before we even have a glimpse of the apocalyptic events to come,
focusing on grades, a vet visit for her cat, Horton, her friend Pfeffer is foreshadowing the ways in which each girl will react to the
Sammi being asked to the prom, and Megan making judgmental disasters: Sammi will look for protection from men, Megan will turn
comments about Sammi’s dating life. Miranda is sick of Megan to religion, and Miranda will stay pretty much the same—depending
and Sammi fighting every lunch and longs for the time when on the bonds of her immediate family to help her survive.
their friend Becky was alive and they all got along. Since
Becky’s death Sammi and Megan have both changed—Sammi
began dating while Megan began spending all her time at
church. Miranda feels that she didn’t change at all and has been
left behind.

That night while they’re doing the dishes, Laura tells Miranda Fights with parents, sports, the Internet, sibling rivalry,
that she has a date the next night with Dr. Peter Elliot. Miranda college—these are all fairly traditional daily concerns for an
has a flash of jealousy at her mom’s social life, which turns into American teenage girl. Throughout this first chapter Pfeffer is
an argument about her desire to restart skating lessons with establishing normalcy. She’s giving the reader a glimpse of Miranda’s
Mrs. Daley. Laura accuses Miranda of only wanting lessons so typical life as a baseline for the ways in which she’ll be breaking
she can brag online about skating with Brandon Erlich’s old down that construct in future chapters.
coach. Miranda responds by accusing Laura of loving her
brothers, Jonny and Matt, more than her—even though she
knows this isn’t true. Later that night, she and her mom make
amends and Miranda longs for the future when she’ll be in
college.

May 13. Miranda describes her summer plans—Laura has This entry starts with Miranda focused on the future—her summer
granted her permission for skating lessons, and she’ll spend the plans—and ends by introducing the event that’s going to disrupt
month of August with Hal and Lisa. Miranda offers her approval those and every other aspect of her life—the asteroid’s impact with
of the new man that her mother is dating: Peter, a doctor. Peter the moon. This is a tipping point that signals change, even if the
asks if the family has heard the news that astronomers have characters don’t know it yet.
determined an asteroid large enough to be visible is going to hit
the moon next week. Laura has heard this, but Miranda hasn’t.
Later she brushes it off with a joke about her mom and Peter
staying out late to watch the moon.

May 15-16. Excitement about the moon builds... at least among At this point Miranda is still viewing the asteroid and moon collision
the teachers at Miranda’s school, who all assign projects based only as it pertains to her. She complains about assignments and
on the moon. Miranda predicts that she’ll be sick of thinking wants to know if her family can have a watch party. Her final
about the moon by the time she completes all of the essays and conclusion, that at least whatever happens will be interesting,
reports, but also thinks it’s interesting to consider how the reveals how her perspective is currently self-focused. She cares
moon she’s looking at is the same moon that people throughout about the moon only as a means to break up the monotony of her
history have shared. She gets permission from her older life.
brother Matt to use his telescope to see the asteroid’s impact.
Her family watches the news and learns that the impact should
happen at 9:30 Wednesday night. The reporters say that
asteroid collisions happen all the time—but that this one should
be visible to the naked eye. Miranda debates whether the event
is really worth all this coverage. She decides that while she
doesn’t think it will be that interesting, at least it will be
something different than her ordinary life.

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May 17. Miranda and Laura fight about mistakes on Miranda’s Matt’s phone call is the first foreshadowing that the moon collision
math test and her tendency to be careless in general. Miranda isn’t just an excuse for school assignments or media hype. His
is working on her moon assignments in her bedroom when instinctive unease and warnings for Miranda introduce the
older brother, Matt, calls from college, surprising her because leadership role that he will play for her in the rest of the book. Matt’s
he never calls at 10 pm. He tells Miranda he has a “funny comment about Miranda’s journal is also the first time its purpose
feeling” about the moon and wanted to hear their voices. has been directly addressed. This matter of why Miranda is keeping
Miranda, who idolizes Matt, is unsettled. She wants to know a journal becomes a central question of the novel as she increasingly
what could go wrong, since the asteroid is expected to hit the wonders about its purpose and audience.
moon, not the earth. Matt warns her that sometimes people
panic for no reason—and advises her to keep writing in her
journal because she may want to read about the night when
she’s grown. When Miranda gets off the phone she feels uneasy
about Matt’s worries, but tries to rationalize it as stress about
his college exams.

CHAPTER 2
May 18. In the aftermath of the asteroid’s impact with the It is immediately clear in this entry that all is not well following the
moon, Miranda struggles to organize her thoughts to write in asteroid’s collision (which at the time of Miranda’s writing, has
her journal. She compares this to the way her mother organizes already occurred). Pfeffer establishes Miranda’s panicked mood
her thoughts when preparing to write a new book. It is clear through writing that is discombobulated, and she jumps in time
from Miranda’s first lines that things did not go as planned. within this entry to build suspense and add to the intensity and
Miranda wants to talk to Hal to make sure he’s okay, but the anxiety.
phone lines have been giving nothing but busy signals for
hours.

In her journal, Miranda jumps backward in her timeline to All of this is to set the stage and create a contrast for the events to
describe the day from the beginning—including a glimpse of a come that night. From the vantage point of just a few hours later,
typical half moon in the sunrise sky and her anticipation about Miranda realizes how much her thoughts and feelings about the day
the night. She emphasizes how normal the day felt at school have already changed.
and the petty concerns she’d had about school, prom, friend
drama, swim practice, and being bored in class.

Miranda, Laura, and Jonny have dinner together and plan to Miranda emphasizes that the mood in her neighborhood was
make a “party” of watching the asteroid’s impact with the festive; she is creating a clear sense of before and after, with the
moon. They had invited their neighbor Mrs. Nesbitt to join asteroid’s appearance being the boundary between the two. And
them, but she said she’d rather watch at home. Their mood is though she describes people as being outside, they don’t really join
festive as they go outside with binoculars, Matt’s telescope, together or socialize. Miranda cares about her neighbors in the
and a plate of cookies to join their neighbors in a makeshift abstract collective, but except for Mrs. Nesbitt, who is “family,” she
block party, where people are out on their decks, barbequing, has no real bonds with them as individuals.
and standing in front of their houses staring at the sky. It gets
quiet as they approach 9:30, and Jonny is the first to see the
asteroid through Matt’s telescope. They all cheer when it
appears in the sky.

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After the asteroid hits the moon, the mood quickly changes. Miranda’s first instinct is to personalize what has happened,
Miranda says that the impact was shocking, and felt like an throwing a possessive pronoun in front of ‘moon’ and describing
attack on “Our Moon.” The cheering changes to screaming as how its changed appearance scares her. Laura’s immediate actions
the moon’s angle shifts and its visibility increases from half to then foreshadow how she will deal with the aftermath: she attempts
three-quarters while it simultaneously looms larger in the sky. to contact Matt and checks the news. Prioritizing family and news
Craters that were before only visible through the telescope can will be Laura’s dual priorities for the rest of the story. But news,
now be seen with just the naked eye, and the moon as a whole something that they had previously been able to take for granted, is
feels ominous. The attitude in the neighborhood is the panic now a precious commodity—its value increased as its access
Matt predicted, and when the Evanses try and call him they becomes erratic.
can’t get through. TV channels, cell signals, and the Internet are
also not working when they attempt to check for news. Jonny
asks if the world is coming to an end, and Laura reassures him
that it’s not, and that he still has school in the morning.

Matt calls from a payphone to report that conditions are the Even the cookies that Laura had baked for the party are now part of
same in Ithaca, NY. Laura tries, but is unable to reach Hal or the Evanses’ panic as they consume them without enjoying them
Grandma. The TV signal fades in and out as the Evanses stress- while watching the slow reveal of news. The destruction of New York
eat the whole plate of cookies and learn that because of the and Boston—and presumed death of all of Laura’s publishing
moon’s increased pull on the tides, there have been extensive contacts—marks the de facto end of her writing career (as at this
tsunamis and coastal flooding. The Statute of Liberty has point, the characters can only process such mass death through
washed away; Cape Cod and all the barrier islands along the how it affects them personally). Though Miranda doesn’t realize it
east coast are submerged. Laura worries about her publishers yet, her mother’s new job is navigating their family through the
in Boston and New York, while Miranda is grateful that Matt emergencies to come.
and Hal are nowhere near the ocean.

Laura attempts to reassure Miranda and Jonny that the news Laura’s role throughout the book is attempting to shield her children
reports could be exaggerated, and that they are inland and safe. from the harsh realities as much as possible. She almost always fails
She says that the news tomorrow might be more accurate or at this task, but never stops trying. It’s a character trait that
optimistic. The TV reporter continued to list cities that are Miranda also comes to develop, especially with regards to Jonny.
submerged, when he’s interrupted by a report from the White While scared and grateful for her family’s safety, Miranda’s retreat
House confirming that hundreds of thousands have died on the to her bedroom to listen to the news alone marks her need for a
eastern seaboard alone. Laura turns off the TV and sends them private space to learn and process.
to bed. Miranda lies awake listening to reports on her clock
radio about the similar devastation on the west coast. She can
see the moon out her window—its new appearance frightens
her.

CHAPTER 3
May 19. Miranda wakes up to a phone call from Hal, who has This is a moment of false hope. While Miranda should celebrate her
been trying all night to reach them. He and Lisa are fine, and so family’s safety, it highlights the insular perspective they are all
is Miranda’s Grandma in Las Vegas. As she hears news of how taking. It’s shortsighted to think that because they all weathered the
other countries around the world—particularly those with lots previous night, that all is okay. Miranda’s reaction to news of other
of coastlines like Holland and Australia—have been decimated, countries faring worse is a reflection of her perspective beginning to
Miranda struggles to balance her own relief about her family broaden.
with the growing awareness that the world is not okay.

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The news that the schools are open that day feeds into Miranda is uncomfortable with the juxtaposition of being told to go
Miranda’s confused emotions. On one hand, Hal is encouraging about her own life with gratitude while realizing how many people
her to “get on with our lives and be grateful that we can,” and no longer can—although this also might be a commentary on how
Laura is making a special pancake breakfast, but on the other many people do this exact thing every day, even in a non-
hand she’s learning that while scientists have theories about apocalyptic world.
what happened the night before—namely that the asteroid was
denser than they’d predicted and it knocked the moon closer to
the earth—they cannot predict what the lasting outcomes will
be.

Attendance is down at school. Miranda notes that Megan and Ms. Hammish’s attempts at school as usual—trying to teach a
her church friends are all absent. Ms. Hammish attempts to lesson despite the weather, the absences, and the students’
teach a lesson, but is thwarted by a sudden dramatic lightning emotions—build to a failure that dramatically makes the point:
storm, which causes the school to lose power. Fearing normal is over, and things will never be the same. What remains is
tornadoes, the students are moved to the hallway for an hour. figuring out how to react to what is happening now and what comes
The reactions of Miranda’s classmates vary from joking, to next.
screaming, to crying, to Miranda’s laughter when she imagines
the world coming to an end while she’s stuck in a school
hallway.

Laura arrives unexpectedly at school to pick up Miranda. Jonny It’s been less than 24 hours since the moon collision and the
and Mrs. Nesbitt are already waiting in the car, and Laura economy has already reacted—cash only, price gouging for gasoline,
hands them each an envelope filled with fifty-dollar bills—she and a whole cart of food for a fixed price. Laura is quick to recognize
visited the bank that morning before buying gas at $5 a gallon. these as symptoms of bigger changes ahead.
She tells them they’re going to the grocery store, which has no
electricity and is selling everything for $100 cash per grocery
cart.

As they drive through the storm to the store, Laura is solemn as Laura’s instincts in this situation are spot on—but they point to a
she assigns each of them a task: Jonny is in charge of getting reality that is terrifying: one in which all of these supplies will be
water and supplies for Horton. Mrs. Nesbitt is to get paper necessary. It is their own sense of fear and discomfort that cause
goods. Miranda is tasked with canned soups, vegetables, and Jonny and Miranda to tease their mom for her plans.
fruits, as well as vitamins and other first aid supplies. Miranda
and Jonny make jokes about how all of this is unnecessary and
crazy, but Laura refuses to be dissuaded.

Once they arrive at the store, Miranda is shocked to see that Miranda’s tone while recording the events at the store is matter-of-
the parking lot is chaos—people are fighting over parking fact. She leans on humor to describe the fights among shoppers and
spaces and carts. Inside the store is chaotic too—it reminds her scramble to fill her cart with essentials. Since she is writing this
Miranda of the emotions she witnessed in the school hallway. entry after she is safely home, though, we can see it as a mask to
While other people focus on meat and produce, Miranda sticks hide her true feelings about the events—and how shocked she was
to her mother’s plan and buys nonperishables. She, Jonny, when her hopes that these preparations were senseless collides with
Laura, and Mrs. Nesbitt make multiple trips to fill their carts. A the reality of so many people fighting (often selfishly and viciously)
man tries to steal Mrs. Nesbitt’s cart, but she fights back. for resources.
Despite feeling panicked about getting supplies for her own
family, Laura helps a desperate man shop for his toddler and
pregnant wife. Once the store is picked through and the car full,
they leave.

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On the way home they consider what other supplies they may Miranda shows initiative in this scene—no longer passively following
need and stop at a strip mall and convenience store to buy her mother’s orders, but coming up with the idea of oil lamps on her
vegetable flats, candles, matches, and batteries. The clerk at own. This signals a change in her perspective and agency. The
one store makes a comment about electricity coming back experiences of shopping have changed her, and though she jokes
soon, and Miranda jokingly responds that her mom is panicking with the clerk, she no longer believes her own words. Despite
and this will make her feel better. Despite her words to the wanting to think that none of this preparation is necessary, she’s
clerk, though, Miranda is no longer teasing Laura. Miranda had now feeling empowered by her contributions to their collective
compared the first store to a shopping spree game show, but survival.
now she’s thinking seriously about survival essentials and is
proud of herself for thinking to purchase oil lamps.

When the supplies are home and unloaded, they celebrate by Unlike the rest of this journal entry, there’s no humor as Miranda
eating a box of donuts that Laura had impulsively bought along describes her mother’s breakdown, an indication of how deeply this
with all the batteries, matches, and soap at the convenience affects her. Miranda is used to her mother having the answers and
store. She thanks Miranda and Jonny for their help, saying she doesn’t know how to process Laura’s emotions.
couldn’t have done this without them, and then she begins to
cry. Miranda ends the journal entry by stating it’s been two
hours and she hasn’t stopped.

CHAPTER 4
May 20. The electricity finally turns back on around 4 a.m. Their While the return of electricity gives Miranda hope, Horton’s erratic
schools are closed, so Miranda and Jonny stay home with behavior is making everyone stressed. His animal instincts indicate
Laura, and their family cat, Horton, who has been acting that things are not yet settled.
strangely since the lunar collision.

The Evanses have an email from Matt, who tells them his Their complaints about the power outages interfering with things
college finals are trickier with the power failures to work like exams or Internet access underscore how little the Evanses have
around, and that he’ll be back home the following Wednesday. been impacted by the moon collision so far. Miranda sees fanboard
Jonny and Miranda each spend a half hour on the Internet. discussion about whether or not Brandon and certain fans are
Miranda uses her time to look for information on figure skater dead—but she’s still self-focused on whether or not she’s oversold
Brandon Erlich—fans have been asking on his message boards, her connection with the skater, not on the tragedy of the many
but no one knows his status. Miranda realizes she might have deaths themselves.
overstated the slight connection between her and Brandon
(she used to train with his former coach), because people keep
asking her for news, which she doesn’t have.

Miranda, Jonny, and Laura spend most of the day putting away It feels easier to hope for things to return to normal when the sun is
their supplies. With the electricity on and the sun shining, even out and the lights are on, versus the outages and storms of
Laura feels like maybe she over-reacted and the supplies won’t yesterday. The journal ending mid-sentence, however, proves that
end up being necessary. The journal entry ends abruptly mid- Laura and Miranda’s hope was misplaced—things are not ‘fixed’ or
sentence with Miranda recording that the lights are flickering back to normal.
and her wish that the electricity would stay on.

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May 21. The president—who Laura thinks is an idiot—comes on Miranda demonstrates her shortsighted perspective in this scene by
TV to announce a national day of mourning for Monday, to assuming all the problems with obtaining and delivery oil and
reiterate the disasters that have occurred so far, to warn heating gas will be fixed by winter. Laura’s continued mocking of the
people to prepare for worse, and to say that all offshore oil president’s ineptness feels cheerful and familiar—even though it
wells and tankers have been destroyed. Laura tells Jonny and belies the increased danger of an incompetent leader during times
Miranda that this may mean shortages for gas and oil heat. of crisis.
Miranda finds this ridiculous, since it’s only May and winter is a
long way off.

The governor also comes on TV and gives updates: the schools Jonny’s reaction to the governor’s news demonstrates his own
will be closed Monday and Tuesday. Gas is limited, he says, so insular interests. Rather than consider the bigger picture of gas
only get more when your vehicle is below a quarter tank. He shortages and unreliable electricity, he’s upset about the sports
also says that he doesn’t know when the power outages will players he idolizes. Miranda, ironically, demonstrates her own
stop. After the news, Jonny is upset that the governor didn’t idolatry by assuming things will be better when Matt returns home.
indicate whether the state sports teams were safe. Miranda
wishes Matt were home and thinks things will be better when
he arrives.

May 22. Sick of being stuck at home and since their fridge and Commodities have changed—now the idea of getting out of the
freezer are emptied due to unreliable electricity, Jonny, house to get fast food is a special treat, but one that proves
Miranda, and Laura attempt to go to McDonalds. They discover unobtainable. At the pizza place, gossip and even socialization are
that the price of gas has risen to $7 a gallon and all of the fast commodities—Miranda and her family have rarely had the chance
food restaurants are closed. Finally they find a local pizza place to exchange news with others since the moon event. And even
that is open. While waiting in line, they exchange news and though they recognize that much of what’s being spread is
rumors with the other customers. Among these are rumors disinformation, it feels better than nothing.
that there will be no electricity all summer, that the moon will
crash into the earth by Christmas, and that the school board
has voted not to open the schools the following year.

Laura finds an open bakery and buys days-old cake, cookies, Miranda feels comforted by Mrs. Nesbitt’s historical perspective. By
and bread. They eat this with their pizza, but Laura cautions comparing what they’re going through to what has happened in the
Miranda and Jonny not to expect fresh food “until things get past and complimenting them on having risen to the occasion, Mrs.
back to normal,” and says she wishes she trusted the president Nesbitt buoys Miranda’s spirits. The irony of her hopeful speech
to handle this crisis. Mrs. Nesbitt compares their immediate ending with the lights going out is an example of the gallows humor
future to food shortages and rations during World War II, but that Miranda frequently uses to deflect her feelings.
reassures them they’ll be fine and “We’ll rise to the occasion.”
As she’s saying this, the power goes out. But instead of taking it
as an ominous sign, they laugh and play Monopoly until the sun
sets.

May 23. It’s the national day of mourning. The radios broadcast This section follows the pattern of Miranda recording a threat in her
all sorts of prayers—and news of the continued deaths. While journal, then immediately recording someone reassuring her that it
they haven’t given a number of the dead, they report that the doesn’t apply to them. The fact that Miranda needs a record of
floods have continued and people continue to drown. Laura these reassurances belies how shaken she is feeling.
reassures Jonny and Miranda that they are inland and safe.

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They receive an email from Matt that he’ll be home on Miranda is self aware enough to realize that she idolizes Matt and
Wednesday. Miranda can’t wait, but also recognizes that she’s that he doesn’t have the power to improve or change their situation,
got unrealistic expectations that things will go back to normal but this doesn’t actually impact her desire for him to come home.
when he’s home. She wishes for school—but only because she
wants school lunch.

May 24. Laura takes Jonny and Miranda to look for open stores. Laura’s desire to add to her stockpiles is both fueled by and at odds
Miranda has noticed that Laura looks with pride at her stocked with the lack of supplies available to purchase. It’s clear from their
pantry, and since she has cash left, she seeks to add to it. But drive how values have shifted—both by the items that remain
the grocery stores are closed or empty except for school (related to learning, pets, and cleaning—all now non-essentials) and
supplies, pet toys, and mops. As they drive around, they see what is gone: food and weapons.
that electronics stores have been looted and boarded up and
the sporting goods store has a sign that reads “NO MORE
GUNS OR RIFLES.”

Laura ends up taking Jonny and Miranda to a dingy, rundown Laura’s need to hoard supplies has crossed a threshold where she’s
store where she buys them clothing that Miranda thinks is buying compulsively—for instance, purchasing child-sized gloves
unfashionable and can’t ever imagine wearing. Laura buys out without having an intended child. While Laura is buying essential
the store’s stock of gloves, socks, underwear, and long items just in case the worst happens, Miranda is on the other end of
johns—while Miranda “practically dies of embarrassment.” On spectrum, still believing she could never be expected to wear such
their way back to the car, Miranda makes a comment about the unfashionable goods. When she makes jokes about wanting to see
child’s mittens going to Lisa for her baby, and Laura then goes Lisa’s reactions to the ugly baby supplies or hoping her mom kept
back in the store and stocks up on baby gear. Miranda thinks the receipt, Miranda is demonstrating how little she understands
the gesture is sweet, but can’t imagine that Lisa will ever put the danger to come.
the baby in such unfashionable clothing. She thinks it will be
funny to watch her mom give Lisa all the baby stuff when they
pick up Jonny from baseball camp and drop Miranda and Jonny
off at Lisa and Hal’s for the month of August.

May 25. Miranda begins her journal entry by stating that Matt The need to turn on all their lights—much like a young child after a
should’ve been home by now and she, Laura, and Jonny are scary movie—is an indication of how nervous Jonny and Miranda
feeling nervous—especially since it’s a clear night and the moon are about Matt’s tardiness. In such uncertain times, anything not
appears too big and bright. The electricity is working, so Jonny going as planned feels dangerous.
and Miranda have turned on all the lights in their house—they
find this reassuring.

There had been many students and teachers absent at the Miranda is beginning to realize that secrets are going to be as much
school that day, including Sammi. Miranda realizes that she a currency in this new normal as food and supplies. She now looks
hasn’t called Sammi or Megan over the long weekend, because at her classmates and wonders what supplies they have. Miranda’s
everyone is too busy figuring out their own problems to take on reactions to her friends reveal that she’s formed different
anyone else’s. No one at school was talking much. Laura had priorities—which value life at home over friendships. At the school
instructed Jonny and Miranda not to talk about the goods assembly, it becomes clear that her classmates have too. Their
they’ve stockpiled in their pantry. Miranda wondered if reaction to the loss of school lunches—which they had formerly
everyone else was being quiet for similar reasons. In an ridiculed—is stronger than their reaction to the loss of prom, senior
assembly, their principal, Mrs. Sanchez, announced that after- trip, sports, or other formerly beloved activities that now seem
school activities, the prom, and senior trip were all cancelled, peripheral.
bus service would be stopping the next Tuesday, and that the
kitchen would no longer be preparing hot lunches. The lack of
lunches creates the biggest reaction—with it escalating to
some students breaking windows and having to be removed by
cops.

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At lunch Megan tells Miranda about how she’s been living in the Miranda’s comparison of Megan’s religious fervor with Laura’s
church for the past week. Her eyes are bright and shiny in a attitude toward her supplies underscores that neither female has a
way that reminds Miranda of the way Laura looks when she healthy coping method for what has happened. They’ve taken good
sees supplies. Megan excitedly describes how at Reverend things to extremes, and are becoming obsessed. Though she doesn’t
Marshall’s encouragement, her church has been only sleeping have the introspection to fully analyze it, Miranda reveals her own
1-2 hours a night so they can keep praying. Miranda tries to top priority with her reason for not wanting to go to
reason with Megan, but Megan responds by telling Miranda heaven—Miranda’s fervor is directed at her family.
that she’s damned unless she embraces religion. Miranda
rejects this idea, partially because her family isn’t religious and
she doesn’t want to be in heaven without them there.

After walking away from Megan, Miranda joins her swim Once again Pfeffer uses the formatting of Miranda’s diary endings
teammates. They’re discussing the pool being closed because to indicate a switch in the story’s trajectory. Miranda’s abrupt
without electricity it can’t be filtered. After they run through change from relating her lunchtime conversation with her
several failed scenarios about where they could practice, teammates to announcing Matt’s arrival with short sentences and
Miranda suggests Miller’s Pond, and the team agrees to meet exclamation marks demonstrates her excitement.
there the week after next. The journal entry ends abruptly
when Miranda hears her brother, Matt, has arrived home from
college.

May 28. Miranda is relieved that Matt is home. Even though Miranda doesn’t acknowledge it, but her parents’ divorce has forced
their situation isn’t changed, things seem better with him there Matt to take on a father-figure role in her family. The tasks he’s
to play baseball with Jonny and help Laura organize supplies. doing—playing sports with Jonny, assisting her mother in household
Miranda and Matt have not yet talked about the disaster, and organization, reassuring Miranda just by his presence—are all
she knows he doesn’t have any new information—but she feels traditionally paternal.
like she’ll believe it more from his mouth.

Attendance is up in school on Thursday. Matt works on While Miranda continues to state her desire for things to ‘return to
Miranda and Jonny’s bikes so they’ll have a way to get to school normal,’ she’s simultaneously being normalized into the current
once the buses stop. Peter stops by with a bag of apples—and state of affairs. This is demonstrated by how quickly she forgets
since he and Laura can’t go anywhere on a date, they prepare things she used to take for granted, like electricity, going online, and
apple crisp together and invite Mrs. Nesbitt to join them. The shopping.
simple dinner of pasta and sauce with the apple crisp feels
festive and Miranda wonders how long they can live like this.
She vacillates between thinking things have got to return to
normal and realizing she’s starting to forget what it’s like to be
able to depend on electricity, the Internet, or stores.

Matt tells Miranda that this is a unique time in history when Miranda is too hard on herself, while still idealizing Matt. Her belief
heroes will be made from the people who choose to live that she’s not heroic because she misses things like ice cream are
heroically. Miranda reflects that Matt’s always been her hero, examples of her own humanity—and a demonstration of how she
and wonders if she could be one too, even though she’s still denies Matt similar foibles.
missing things like ice cream and swimming.

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May 29-30. Electricity is becoming more and more sporadic. The ability to spend all day doing laundry in fifteen-minute
Whenever it comes on, Laura rushes to put in a load of increments is a sign of their new lifestyle. In the past Laura would’ve
laundry—but sometimes this means laundry gets done in been working on her next novel—now, when she does have
15-minute increments that span a whole day. Because of the electricity and could be on her computer, she instead prioritizes
lack of electric light, the Evanses are spending more time things like watching news, or doing basic chores.
outside—but they leave the light in the living room window on,
so that when electricity does work, they have a signal. They
hear on the radio that the list of the known dead will be posted,
so when the light comes on, Laura abandons the laundry and
rushes to the Internet.

In less than ten minutes, Laura has found the names of thirty Miranda watches everyone around her process the deaths of people
people she knows who have died. These include most of her they knew and cared about. She could join their grief by looking up
editors, some friends, and her second cousins. She’s relieved to some acquaintances, but instead chooses to respect her family’s
find that Mrs. Nesbitt’s family isn’t on the list—and Miranda is losses and the lives of people she tangentially knew who may or may
relieved that Brandon Erlich doesn’t appear on it. Jonny finds not have survived by not going through the motions of professing
that many baseball players are dead, presumed dead, or grief that’s less authentic. For someone who desperately wants to
missing, and Matt looks up the status of classmates from his belong, this is a sign of maturity.
high school graduating class and finds that three are dead and
many presumed missing. Miranda has more people she could
look up—campmates and friends who had moved—but she
doesn’t think it’s right to look up or mourn their deaths when
she didn’t even think of them while they were alive.

Matt looks up each of their own names on the lists of the dead, Once again Miranda uses humor to deflect from a bleak and
but they don’t appear anywhere. Miranda ends her entry with uncomfortable truth.
“And that’s how we know we’re alive this Memorial Day.”

May 31. It rains on the first day that there’s no bus service, so In this section each character is coping differently: Laura is
Matt drives Miranda and Jonny to school while Laura stays playacting at normalcy—writing a book that may never be
home to work on her book. The schools are even emptier than completed because of lack of electricity and publishers who are
before, with more than half the students absent. Jonny learns dead—while Jonny is celebrating a change for the better—no
that standardized tests have been cancelled, and when Peter tests—and Miranda is still hoping for ‘normal’s’ return.
stops by that night, he shares a rumor that schools will be
closing altogether in a week. He’s heard they’ll reopen in the fall
when “things are back to normal.” Miranda clings to the hope
that things will be back to normal by September.

CHAPTER 5
June 2. At school Miranda learns that finals have been Miranda’s response to this news shows that her mental parameters
cancelled. They’ll be learning their final grades the next day and have not yet totally shifted. She’s worried about Sammi’s French
if they want to bring them up, they can talk to teachers about grade, without factoring in that both grades and foreign language
extra credit. Miranda worries about Sammi, who had been skills are no longer valuable commodities in their current
failing French and planning to bring her grade up with her final, environment.
but then realizes Sammi probably won’t care, because no one
seems to. School will close on June 10, and reopen August 31st.

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June 3. For lunch, the school serves each student a stale peanut The value of school has completely shifted. It is no longer a place
butter and jelly sandwich. It’s common knowledge that the that provides education; it’s now a place that provides lunch. And
schools are closing early because they’ve run out of food. once those food supplies are gone, it will cease to serve its purpose
Miranda knows she shouldn’t complain, since due to her and be closed. Since food is such a valued commodity, Megan’s act
mother’s pantry stockpiles she’s eating better than most. She of very public altruism is unsettling, and Miranda is suspicious of her
sits with Sammi, Megan, Dave, Brian, and Jenna. Everyone but motives.
Megan eats their sandwich quickly, but Megan nibbles at one
half and then asks who wants the other. She selects Dave and
gives it to him. Miranda is bothered by this exchange.

June 4. Miranda is pleased with all of her grades except for The conversation about grades not mattering forces Miranda to
math—when she brings this up to Laura to ask if she should try realize just how much her mother’s priorities have shifted from
for extra credit, Laura asks her “What’s the point?” This achievement to survival. This realization shakes Miranda to the
question leaves Miranda reeling. She seeks out Matt and asks core, and, as always, she goes to Matt for both reassurance and
him if their mom thinks they’re going to die. She wants him to honesty.
laugh, but instead he’s silent for a long time and then says that
she and he are both concerned. He elaborates that with the
canned goods and garden, they aren’t worried about starving
to death, but that they don’t expect things to be back to normal
until the fall, give or take.

Miranda asks Matt not to treat her like a kid and explain what Matt’s candid response to Miranda’s questions is eye-opening. The
he and Laura are worried about. He shares that her current top fact that her mother would view Jonny’s camp as a way to preserve
concern is Jonny’s baseball camp. Laura wants Jonny to have a their supplies is telling, since without reliable phone or mail, sending
normal, childhood summer—plus, if he’s away at camp, she Jonny to camp feels uncertain.
won’t need to feed him. Laura has already cut down on her
meals, skipping breakfast and lunch unless Matt forces her to
eat.

Matt reassures Miranda that if things go back to normal then Miranda is constantly comparing her response to those of others.
colleges will understand why she had a lower math grade this She recognizes that she’s not as religious or sacrificial as
semester. When she presses him, he adds that if they don’t go Megan—but this doesn’t bother her right now. At the same time,
back to normal, her grades will be irrelevant. He makes her comparing herself against Matt or Laura makes Miranda feel
promise not to tell Laura about their conversation, and not to inadequate and unworthy.
start skipping meals because “We need you to be strong.”
Miranda worries that she’s not strong or good enough—and
wonders if she’d give up food for Jonny like Megan had at lunch
the day before.

June 5. Mrs. Nesbitt stops by with eggs that a former student Miranda’s slide-scale for emotions is constantly being reevaluated.
had given her. Laura sautés them with potatoes and onions and While this scene would not have been something she cherished at
they all share. Matt contributes a chocolate bar he found in his the beginning of the novel, it is now. And as things get worse,
backpack. After supper they sing and Mrs. Nesbitt tells stories Miranda leans to appreciate smaller and smaller joys.
about when Laura was little. Miranda says it almost feels like
happiness.

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June 6. At school Megan again gives away the second half of her Miranda and Megan’s fights never end with Miranda feeling
sandwich, this time to Sammi. Miranda is concerned, but when satisfied, because she’s arguing from a place of logic (i.e.: you need
she questions Megan, Megan responds, “God sustains me. food to survive) and Megan is responding from a place of religious
Food doesn’t.” They fight, as Miranda tries to convince Megan fervor (i.e.: faith will sustain me). This fight foreshadows bigger
that she’s taking her religion to an extreme, and begs her to eat. arguments and the ways their beliefs will continue to diverge.
Instead, Megan makes judgmental comments about Miranda’s
need for divine forgiveness. The argument ends with Megan
walking away to join her church friends.

June 7. Miranda dreams of her friend Becky who has passed Miranda’s fears about her worth—which she has been debating in
away. In the dream, Becky is standing on the other side of a the past few entries with regards to her willingness to sacrifice for
locked gate. She looks healthy again, and tells Miranda she’s in others—here manifest in dreams about heaven. Her rejection from
heaven. When Miranda asks to be let in, Becky laughs and says heaven exacerbates her feelings of inadequacy.
that she can’t. Miranda asks if Megan is keeping her out, and
Becky says it’s because she’s not dead—and not good enough
to be dead. Miranda wakes up shaken, as she remembers how
desperate she’d felt to die so she could enter heaven.

At school they’re wasting time; the teachers barely attempt While most of the rumors being circulated are untrue, in a world
lessons. School’s value comes from the rumors and news that where everyone is desperate for answers, Miranda finds comfort in
spread among the students—today Miranda hears about a hearing any news—false or not. Megan’s act of generosity with her
secret Dairy Queen that’s still operating, that electricity is gone sandwich is undercut by how she uses the moment to taunt
forever, that solar power is being perfected, and that they’ll all Miranda.
be dead by Christmas. The other benefit of school is
lunch—today Megan tears her sandwich in half and winks as
she gives a piece to Sammi and Michael.

June 8. Miranda has started to feel numb. She doesn’t want to Miranda continues to chastise herself for her normal responses to
know about what’s happening in other states or countries. She this disaster. She’s reached a threshold where she can’t process
can’t bring herself to care about people outside her immediate more tragedy, yet feels acutely that she is flawed for shutting down
sphere. She judges herself for this because she thinks everyone emotionally.
else in her life does care, but she’s reached her saturation point
for fear. And she worries that her diary is going to be “a record
of death.”

June 9. On the second to last day of school Miranda is given a Whereas the day before Miranda had been worried about her own
flyer about a donation drive for people in New Jersey and New numbness, today she’s galvanized by the belief that she can do
York. While Miranda likes the idea of helping people—the idea something to help others through the drive. Laura’s angry reaction
of people being worse off than she is—Laura tears up the flyer makes it clear that Miranda isn’t the only one whose emotions have
and vehemently states they won’t be donating. Miranda is shifted, and it takes some of the pressure off Miranda, who was
shocked because her mother has always been very altruistic, worried about everyone else being more selfless than her.
but Laura insists they don’t know what they’ll need that winter
if they can’t get heating oil. Miranda argues that things have to
be back to normal by winter, but Laura doesn’t budge.

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Miranda seeks out Matt to ask about heating oil. She learns This is the second time that Miranda has sought out Matt for
that they haven’t been able to get any, and they expect to run information, and the second time he’s asked her to keep a secret.
out by fall if the reserves aren’t restored. The fuel companies Both information and the withholding of information hold power.
have all stated that they don’t know if they’ll be able to promise Miranda wants to be treated like an adult, but also doesn’t know
any fuel this winter. Matt says they’re luckier than most how to process the bleak truths she’s given. While she wants to
because they have a woodstove, which will heat their sunroom. believe that Matt and Laura’s worries are ridiculous, her actions
Miranda finds the conversation absurd, because it’s early June following their conversations prove how seriously she’s taking this.
and eighty-five degrees out—and no one can predict what
winter will be like. Matt makes her promise not to tell Jonny
about the conversation. Miranda ends the journal entry by
telling how she went in the linen closet to count their
blankets—and then stood outside until she felt warm enough to
stop shivering.

CHAPTER 6
June 11. Miranda hears from her father—apparently Hal has Despite the current global conditions, Laura and Hal are still trying
been trying to call them several times a day and hasn’t been to set up plans for Miranda and Jonny to spend time with Hal. From
able to get through. He says that he and Lisa are safe and the Laura’s perspective, this has less to do with custody agreements and
pregnancy is going well. Conditions in Springfield, more to do with making her food supplies last as long as possible. If
Massachusetts seem similar to where Miranda lives in Miranda and Jonny are in Springfield, she doesn’t have to feed them.
Pennsylvania. The current plan is still for Jonny to go to
baseball camp, then Miranda and Jonny will go spend the
month of August with Hal and Lisa. Matt is invited but declines
because he thinks Laura will need him at home.

June 12. Peter stops by for a visit but can only stay for an hour Peter’s knowledge of the new illnesses and threats to their help is
because his doctor’s practice is so busy. He warns the Evanses especially valuable now that the news and internet can’t be counted
to start wearing bug repellant, and if they can find somewhere on to give updates—in the rare event they even have electricity to
to buy it, “Pay whatever it costs,” because he’s started to see access these. Miranda’s response to his warnings proves that
cases of West Nile virus and is hearing rumors of Malaria and despite the new conditions, she’s clinging to old priorities.
other mosquito-borne illnesses. Miranda hears all of this, but
still insists in her journal that nothing is going to stop her from
swimming at Miller’s Pond.

June 15. It’s stormed for days and the electricity hasn’t come on Miranda attempts to have a normal day, despite everything that is
until this morning, when it only lasts a few minutes. Now that going on. To a degree, she succeeds—she swims at the pond and has
the sun is finally out, Miranda puts on her swimsuit and sneaks some romantic moments with Dan. But even while they’re flirting
out of the house to go swim at Miller’s Pond. Dan from her and talking, they can’t help talking about all the trauma they have
swim team is already there, and the two of them spend the day endured and the people they’ve lost. Dan’s prom invitation for the
swimming together and then talking on the banks. Miranda following spring shows their hope that things will go back to normal,
reports that they tried to talk about “unimportant stuff” but and also that they don’t know how to navigate teen romance in this
that the conversation quickly turned heavy—to Dan’s new world—one in which dates and phone calls and the typical
grandparents who were killed by tsunamis in Florida, to his forms of flirting and dating are out of reach.
belief that the government should have warned people and
responded better in the aftermath. They talk about a
hypothetical next school year where Dan invites Miranda to
prom, and then they kiss. He walks her home and they make
plans to meet at the pond again the next day.

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When Miranda walks in the house, Laura is furious that This moment is a clash of the rules Miranda used to live by versus
Miranda had left without telling her. As they argue—Miranda her new normal. While she’s always had the autonomy to go out
for her autonomy, and Laura from a place of fear—they both and enjoy her summer, Laura is now terrified by the idea of letting
come to see the others’ perspective. Miranda is horrified by the her children out of her sight. Miranda isn’t able to understand this
idea when Laura asks her to imagine not knowing where she is, until Laura offers a hypothetical where she reverses their positions.
but she still insists that she won’t stop going to the pond, no Miranda is then able to understand Laura’s perspective and her
matter the mosquito-risk. Laura relents, saying that as much as struggle to let them live while also keeping them safe.
she’d like to protect her children from everything, she can’t.
And that she also wants Miranda to enjoy swimming, the same
way Jonny enjoys baseball, and Matt likes running. Laura’s
escape is gardening—though this year she’s growing vegetables
instead of flowers.

They end their argument with the agreement that Miranda Miranda’s focus on language and journaling allows her to pick up on
must tell Laura if she’s going somewhere, and Laura asking if the nuance of Laura’s question—there’s a subtle pressure on that if,
Miranda wants lunch. Miranda doesn’t miss the odd phrasing of which influences Miranda’s decision to deny herself lunch.
if versus what and pretends she’s not hungry. Instead of eating
she helps Laura weed the garden.

June 16-17. Miranda meets Dan at Miller’s Pond, where they Laura’s decision to allow Jonny to attend baseball camp seems at
kiss and swim. Laura picks up the family mail at the post office. odds with her current extreme protectiveness. Since mail and phone
She’s gotten a letter from Jonny’s baseball camp—which will service is erratic, if he’s at camp she won’t be able to contact him if
still run for the weeks planned, but will be partnering with a something were to happen. Laura’s rationale demonstrates her real
local farm where the campers will be required to help. Laura is concern: supplies. If Jonny’s away it will allow them to conserve
ecstatic that Jonny will have fresh, healthy food. And while more of the food in their pantry, helping with long term survival.
Jonny is disappointed that this means less time for baseball,
Miranda and Laura are doing the calculations about how much
food they’ll save by not having to feed Jonny for those weeks.
The thought makes Laura smile.

June 19. They try and call Hal throughout the day to wish him a Miranda rationalizes her guilt about Hal with the thought that he’s
happy Father’s Day, but they are unable to get through. about to have a new baby—one he’ll get to see and care for on a
Miranda wonders if Lisa’s baby is replacing her and her siblings, daily basis. Rather than feel upset about being replaced, she feels
and then feels silly since she’ll see him in a few weeks. She also relief.
feels guilty that some days she doesn’t think of Hal at all.

June 21. The heat has been unrelenting and electricity scarce, Miranda is attempting to have as normal a summer as possible. At
so Miranda spends as much time as possible at Miller’s Pond home, she can’t pretend things are normal, but at Miller’s Pond,
with Dan and other members of the swim team. She has mixed she’s found an oasis in the middle of the ongoing crises.
feelings about their other friends showing up, however,
because it means she and Dan can’t kiss.

Peter comes to visit and brings canned nuts as well news of the Peter’s arrival always heralds bad news. Miranda recognizes this is
spread of West Nile virus. He says people are also dying from because he spends his day with the ill and dying, but still dreads it.
food allergies because they’re so desperately hungry.

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Miranda has a nightmare that starts as a dream date with Dan Miranda’s dreams about heaven and food always contain a
and ends with Becky guarding a table loaded with food and component of her worrying that she’s not good enough. Her reaction
saying that Miranda can’t have any because she’s not dead. She upon waking is a furtherance of that theme, as her determination to
wakes up still dreaming about pancakes and decides to be appreciate what she has and show gratitude demonstrate her desire
grateful for what she has: for each morning she wakes up, for to be “good.”
swimming in Miller’s Pond, “fake dates” with Dan, and dreams
about pancakes.

June 22. Miranda has a good day. Laura figures out a way to A “good day” for Miranda is one in which she can pretend life hasn’t
make modified pancakes out of the ingredients they have, and irrevocably changed. Eating foods that aren’t canned or jarred is
then later figures out how to make bread with some yeast she’d part of this, as is any time spent at Miller’s Pond. And though the
forgotten she bought. At Miller’s Pond, Dan and Miranda have pleasures of the day—a phone call, pancakes, laundry, and
alone time to kiss and hold hands. Hal calls and tells Miranda sitcoms—are all simple ones, Miranda is learning to value them
that things are going as well as can be expected—the baby is greatly. Her perspective has shifted so that she can appreciate
fine and they have enough food. He’s heard the farmers are things she had once taken for granted.
planting and trucks are driving. The night ends with the
electricity coming back on for three hours—long enough to cool
down the house, do laundry, and watch sitcoms with the family.
Miranda goes to bed grateful for clean sheets, a cool house, a
night of laughter, news from her father, and kisses.

June 24. Miranda prefaces her entry by stating that she and Miranda’s extreme shift in mood since the previous entry shows that
Laura are in a massive fight, then goes back in the timeline to she’s still sixteen—a teenager going through ordinary stages of
recount her day and explain how they got there. growth and rebellion in a situation that is far from ordinary.

After swimming at Miller’s Pond, Miranda and Dan accompany Miranda approaches this day as a smitten sixteen year old. She
Laura and Mrs. Nesbitt into town. While Laura is getting gas—a glosses over the time-consuming task of getting gas, because it
complicated process of alternating between the two open doesn’t impact her. Her attention is fixated on getting a ride to town
pumps in town, waiting in long lines for the $12 a gallon, three- with Dan and spending more time together. Likewise, during the
gallon cap—the others visit the library, which they’ve been food distribution, her thoughts about Dan come before any
frequenting more often in case it closes. After saying good-bye thoughts of self-preservation. Miranda is excited by the idea of the
to Dan at the library, Mrs. Nesbitt and Miranda begin to walk to food, and also by the idea that she helped Dan—and doesn’t look
the gas station when they encounter a food distribution line. beyond that.
Miranda tells Mrs. Nesbitt to wait and runs to go get Dan. The
line is guarded by troopers and the mood is jubilant, even when
it begins to rain. As Dan and Miranda leave with their bags, they
hear the trooper shut down the line because there are no more
supplies to distribute.

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As Miranda walks with Mrs. Nesbitt and their bags of food to Much like with the clothing and blanket drive earlier in the book,
meet her mom at the gas station, she thinks about how excited Miranda doesn’t see the harm in helping other people. Laura,
Laura will be. Instead Laura becomes very quiet, and instead of however, has a much more insular view of their situation and sees
driving to the other station to queue up for more gas, she heads any act of charity as a threat to her family’s well being. She also feels
home. Miranda recognizes her mood, and once they’re back in like Miranda’s relationship with Dan is a threat, since it clouded
their own kitchen, asks what the problem is. Laura is furious Miranda’s thoughts and could’ve cost the family a bag of food.
that Miranda left the line to go get Dan—risking her chance at
getting food for her own family. Miranda hadn’t even
considered that the food could run out while she was fetching
Dan—but since it didn’t, she doesn’t see the big deal. “Family is
all that matters!” Laura screams, and from there the fight
escalates.

Miranda accuses her mom of thinking they’re all going to die Miranda’s words in this argument are chosen to provoke her mother.
and Laura rages that Miranda should never say that again. The Lying about being in love and comparing their few moments and
fight twists into being about Miranda and Dan, when Miranda kisses to Laura’s relationship with Peter is her attempt at getting
describes their relationship as “something special” and Laura to take her seriously. Instead it makes Laura more worried
compares it to Laura and Peter’s. Laura is terrified and that Miranda will do something even more rash than risk food
demands to know if Miranda is sleeping with him, and says that supplies—that she’ll get pregnant, something that would be
if she is, she’s never allowed to see him again, or go to Miller’s dangerous and make survival in these times even harder.
Pond, or leave the house alone. Miranda responds that her
mom doesn’t trust her and that she loves Dan, before running
to her room. She confesses in her journal that she doesn’t really
love Dan, but that she hates her mom for making it sound like
family is the only thing that matters, and that she doesn’t want
to live in a world where that’s true.

June 25. Miranda skips breakfast and stays in her bedroom the Miranda’s conversation with Matt is all about trying to see other
next morning. Matt stops by her room to try and convince her people’s perspective. Miranda hadn’t considered all of the fears
to apologize to Laura, and despite how desperate she is for her Laura is juggling, and also hadn’t realized that she no longer thinks
brother’s approval, Miranda resists and says that while their about the friends who filled her mind and journal entries before the
mom might not think they’re going to die, she’s refusing to let moon’s collision with the asteroid. Matt is repeating some of the
them live. Matt responds that Laura is scared, and stressed things Laura has said, but because Miranda so values his opinion,
about Jonny’s camp and Mrs. Nesbitt’s safety, and Peter she’s able to better hear them when Matt says them.
working too hard. He suggests that Miranda to see Sammi or
Megan—and not make Dan the only person she sees. Miranda
realizes that she barely thinks of her friends, but agrees to
Matt’s points and to make up with Laura.

Miranda invites Jonny to come with her to Miller’s Pond and Miranda’s actions with Jonny are a direct result of her conversation
he excitedly agrees. Seeing him play and have fun makes with Matt. She takes the time to consider how he must be
Miranda realize how little she’s considered how he’s handling experiencing the events of the summer and makes an effort to
all of the recent events or how bored he must be with nothing include him. While she realizes they have much bigger problems
to do all day. On their walk back from the pond Jonny worries than whether or not Jonny is tall enough to be a pro baseball player,
that because of the lack of balance in his diet, he’s not going to she also realizes that he deserves her respect in the same way that
grow tall enough to be a professional baseball player. Miranda Matt had respected her worries and questions.
has the urge to laugh at the frivolity of his problems, but
remembers how Matt respected hers and she responds
seriously. When they return home Laura is preparing to bake
bread, and Miranda offers to help. The gesture repairs their
relationship.

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CHAPTER 7
July 2. Laura takes Jonny to baseball camp and comes back The character’s varied perspectives are striking. Laura doesn’t mind
excited about a gas station where she can buy five gallons for paying more per gallon for gas, because the fuel is more valuable
$75. Despite the temperature being near 100, Matt decides it’s than money. Despite the heat wave, Matt is thinking ahead and
time to start chopping firewood and sends Miranda to gather chopping wood. Miranda is attempting to salvage friendships,
kindling. When she’s done that and other chores, he despite them feeling less important.
encourages her to visit Sammi and Megan. Sammi isn’t home,
but there is still laundry on the line, so Miranda knows the
family hasn’t left.

At Megan’s house, Mrs. Wayne looks ecstatic to see Miranda Megan’s “glow” of happiness is at odds with the current events.
and sends her up to Megan’s room—asking her to talk some Despite this, Miranda isn’t jealous of Megan’s religious convictions.
sense into her daughter. Miranda thinks Megan looks thinner, The fact that Megan is upsetting her mother and sneaking out to go
but more striking is the fact that she “glows” with happiness to the church are strong signals that all is not right with her
during a time when everyone else is miserable. Miranda congregation and Reverend Marshall. Megan’s words confirm this
catches Megan up on her life, but when it’s Megan’s turn to for Miranda.
talk, all she speaks about is religion and salvation. She’s going to
church every day—sometimes sneaking out at night to go pray
with Reverend Marshall.

Megan brings up their friend Becky, whom Miranda has been This section highlights the different ways that Miranda and Megan
dreaming of frequently. Megan says that she was so angry at deal with similar problems. While Megan turns to religion and
God after Becky died, and it was Reverend Marshall who talked Reverend Marshall, Miranda puts her faith in actions—her response
her out of this and made her see God’s plan. Reverend Marshall to Megan’s prayers is to go home and continue gathering firewood.
is now counseling her that the disasters are God’s will. Miranda Rather than hoping for death/salvation like Megan, Miranda is
protests that it can’t be God’s will for Megan to starve. Megan planning for survival in the here and now.
counters with prayers and says that true happiness comes from
salvation. The two of them cannot find common ground with
religion, so Miranda leaves Megan praying and goes home to
collect more kindling.

July 3. With Jonny off at camp, Laura suggests that she, Matt, Despite having heard from Hal that conditions in Springfield are
and Miranda cut back to two meals a day. Even Matt is shocked, similar, Miranda imagines it as a utopia. She needs to hold onto this
but he quickly agrees. Miranda agrees mores slowly, while idea that things are better elsewhere—both as a source of hope and
jealously picturing Jonny eating the fresh food from the farm to mitigate her jealous feelings about Jonny eating more and herself
attached to his baseball camp. She thinks ahead to the month going hungry.
she’ll be spending with Hal and Lisa. She imagines an idealized
version of their town where supplies and electricity are still
plentiful.

July 4-6. Miranda experiments with which meal to Meals may have become less frequent, but they’re highly important
skip—breakfast leaves her too hungry to swim, but she feels and emotional, and now associated with ideas of guilt and sacrifice.
guilty watching Laura eat only a half portion at lunch. She
settles on eating brunch and dinner. She struggles with
resentment toward Jonny, who is being well fed at camp, and
with comparisons towards past Fourth of Julys when there
were fireworks and parades and things to celebrate.

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July 7. The electricity turns on for the first time in a week full of The questions that end this chapter are posed to the reader as well.
very hot days—they run around turning on the A/C and At what point does life stop being something that is experienced
dishwasher and washing machine—but it only lasts for ten and start being just a series of repetitive, meaningless actions? At
minutes. After finishing the laundry by hand and hanging it up what point does the cost of living make it not worthwhile? Miranda
to dry, it starts to rain and storm. Everyone’s tension is high, doesn’t come up with answers to these questions, but leaves them
and when Matt stays out chopping wood despite the storm, to linger in her journal and with the reader.
Laura and he get in a yelling match when he returns. While
they’re arguing the electricity comes back on for forty glorious
minutes. Miranda ends her entry by debating which is better:
no electricity, or unreliable electricity? Life as she’s living it, or
no life at all?

July 9. Something feels different when Miranda wakes up. It While things have continued to be hard in Miranda’s life, she hasn’t
feels slightly cooler than the hundred degree temps they’ve considered that there would be new forces that could make things
been having, and the sky is a strange gray—but not cloudy or worse. The ashy cloud, which disquiets Miranda immediately, is
foggy. Miranda asks Matt and Laura about it, and they tell her going to have larger implications, and again demonstrates
that the moon’s increased gravitational pull is still causing Miranda’s naivety, as well as the fact that Matt and Laura are still
earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods—but now it’s caused sheltering her as much as possible.
volcanoes to erupt all over the world for the past few days. This
has caused the sky’s strange gray color—it’s an ash cloud
blocking out the sun, which means crops will die and major
climate shift could occur.

When Miranda asks how long this could last, she’s terrified to The news about volcanoes doesn’t seem like it should impact
hear that it’s a global problem that may not clear for more than Miranda at first—but as Laura and Matt explain the long-term
a year. Laura tells her that up until this point they’ve been impacts, Miranda realizes how interconnected everything about the
“playacting” at survival, and that now things are going to get planet is. While she may not be facing lava, her life has just gotten
serious and they can’t count on the garden. Laura says she’ll significantly more difficult. Laura’s statement about ‘playacting’
only eat one meal a day and, Matt and Miranda agree to cut sounds insulting, until those feelings are quickly overridden by fear
back too—fasting one day a week and eating two meals three about cutting back on food even more. With the grim closing line,
days a week and one meal the other three. They make a plan to the reader is left wondering if Miranda is picturing her own name.
start stockpiling water in case the well runs dry and to boil it
before drinking from this point forward. Miranda decides to go
swimming while it’s still warm, but finds herself shivering when
she gets out of the water. She ends the entry by stating that the
lists of the dead are about to get a lot longer.

CHAPTER 8
July 11-13. The sky is getting grayer, the days are getting Things are held in suspense during this section—they’re full of
shorter, and the temperatures are much cooler than the anticipation, but none of the things being anticipated manifest:
previous weeks’ heat waves. Miranda is adjusting to fasting. Dan’s not at the pond, none of them fall ill, no letters arrive from
She says that as the day goes on, she stops being hungry. Peter Jonny, etc. They’re all existing in a state of waiting to see how much
stops by and approves their plans—especially the boiling of worse things will become, and trying to anticipate what they should
water before drinking. He suggests that Miranda stop do to prepare. While Matt gives up running pre-emptively, Miranda
swimming at Miller’s Pond because he’s scared people will be insists on one last swim, despite Peter’s advice and the risk.
using it for bathing and wastewater, and it will become a
breeding ground. She defies this and goes swimming one last
time, hoping to see Dan, but he doesn’t show up. They also
haven’t heard from Jonny or Hal. Matt stops running in order
to conserve his energy and strength, and because he’s worried
about the air quality of the ash cloud sky.

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July 14. Miranda accidentally lets Horton outside at night. Despite all of the bigger catastrophes they’re facing, Horton’s
Normally he is only allowed out during the day—but his escape feels personal to Miranda, and she blames herself for letting
behavior has been erratic since Jonny left and he’s also him out, despite the fact that anyone could have.
muddled by the daytime gray skies, so Miranda thinks he was
just confused when he darted outside as she came in. She calls
for him for an hour but he doesn’t return. She feels horrible.

July 15-17. Despite Miranda, Matt, Laura, and Mrs. Nesbitt’s Miranda realizes what a luxury it is to have a pet these days. The
search efforts, Horton is still missing. Matt warns Miranda that idea that someone else might see Horton as food horrifies her, and
it’s possible Horton has been killed for food. Miranda is worried her preoccupation with the cat when they haven’t heard from her
about when Jonny returns home from camp and blames her. brother horrifies Laura. Miranda is very much a person concerned
Laura and Miranda argue when Laura accuses Miranda of with what is immediately in front of her—Jonny, Hal, Sammi, and
caring more about the cat than Jonny—whom they haven’t Megan cease to be present in her mind when they’re not present in
heard from in two weeks. Miranda responds that Jonny is fine her daily life. But Laura’s accusation hits Miranda hard, and makes
and being well fed while the rest of them are starving. She says her reconsider her standing in the family. She must now ask herself
it’s clear which of her children Laura is betting on. In her diary the callous and frightening question: which of the family members is
she unpacks this thought further—she knows that Laura most worthy of living? Miranda worries that her gender and her lack
wouldn’t prioritize herself, but if she had to pick only one of her of helpfulness disqualify her, but the questions are left to resonate
children to live, Miranda agonizes over who she would with the reader—who deserves to live and why? Can anyone really
choose—and ultimately decides it would be Jonny, since Matt make such a decision?
wouldn’t take the food, and Miranda, as a female, would having
a harder time surviving alone. Miranda worries that she doesn’t
contribute as much as Matt, since all she does is gather
kindling, and wonders if she even deserves any of their
remaining food.

July 18-19. Miranda collapses in the woods while gathering Miranda’s singular preoccupation with finding Horton is her version
kindling and searching for Horton. When she returns home, she of penance. She worries about Jonny’s reaction to the loss of his pet,
and Laura argue when it’s revealed that Miranda had forgotten but also feels guilty about her resentment toward him. Jonny hasn’t
to eat. Laura insists that Miranda follow the established rules chosen this, and isn’t even aware that the others are sacrificing for
about meals and asks if Miranda thinks she enjoys watching her him. Miranda is jealous of even his ignorance.
children starve. They do not patch up their argument, and
Miranda realizes that the longer she goes with out eating, the
less appealing the idea of food becomes.

July 20. Miranda realizes it’s the anniversary of the first time While not rational, Miranda’s emotional response to this
men walked on the moon. It’s a fact that she remembers from anniversary is certainly understandable, as her stress and
all her moon-themed assignments back in May. She wishes that desperation grows.
the astronauts had blown it up.

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July 21. Miranda is gathering kindling and imagining how Miranda and Megan have always teased Sammi for being “boy
perfect things could be where Hal lives, when Sammi comes to crazy,” and Miranda defaults to this mindset when Sammi presents
visit. She’s there to tell Miranda good-bye, because she’s her plan for leaving. She fails to notice that Sammi is unhappy about
leaving for Nashville with a guy she met. This idea of boy-crazy this plan until she states it. Like Megan, Sammi’s reaction to the
Sammi still being boy-crazy makes Miranda giggle, until Sammi moon’s collision is an exaggerated version of the person she was
elaborates that the guy, George, is forty. Sammi isn’t happy before. Megan has taken religion to an extreme, and Sammi is doing
about the scenario, but George is well connected and gave her the same with seeking validation from males. The major difference
parents lots of supplies. Her mom is encouraging her to go with is that Megan’s religious fervor may kill her, while Sammi is hoping
George because he can offer her protection and a better life. that George will help her survive.
Sammi hopes that they split up once she reaches Nashville and
she finds someone she likes better. Like Megan, Sammi points
to Becky’s death as a motivator for her actions, saying “Life is
short and you have to make the best of what time you have.”
Miranda is upset and scared for Sammi.

July 22. Miranda is excited and relieved to reveal that Horton It’s a day of answers—where Laura and Miranda realize that all of
has come home. They wake up to find him yowling at the door. their anxiety was unfounded, because both Horton and Jonny are
Laura is also relieved to find five letters from Jonny waiting at fine. Their celebration is simple, but Miranda is increasingly learning
the post office, saying that he’s fine and having fun. They to appreciate the simple things. Hearing about the hardships Mrs.
celebrate by having Mrs. Nesbitt over for supper, which is extra Nesbitt had to endure during the Depression helps Miranda gain
festive with a can of peaches and a jar of apple juice. After perspective about what is happening now.
supper, it’s cool enough that they build a fire in the woodstove
and Mrs. Nesbitt tells stories about what things were like after
World War II and during the Depression. Horton hops from lap
to lap and Miranda feels hopeful that if her family sticks
together, they’ll survive.

July 25-27. Miranda continues to dream about Becky being a Instead of a month with her father, Miranda will only have a few
gatekeeper for food and she continues to fanaticize that days’ visit. The Miranda who opened the book would’ve been
Springfield, where Hal and Lisa live, is a sort of heaven on earth devastated by this news, but now she quickly does the calculations
that hasn’t been impacted by the moon’s collision. So when on how this will impact their food supply. She also puts herself in
Laura pulls Miranda aside to tell her plans have changed—that Lisa’s perspective and feels real sympathy for what Lisa must be
Miranda and Jonny won’t be going to Springfield after feeling to be pregnant in such uncertain times. Miranda is starting to
all—Miranda wants to throw a tantrum. Instead she listens as show a real maturity in the way she reacts to disappointing news.
Laura explains that since Lisa wants to be with her own parents
when the baby is born, Hal and Lisa will be stopping to visit
them in Pennsylvania before traveling west. Miranda lets go of
her idealized version of Springfield and takes a moment to
consider how she would feel if she were the one pregnant. She
knows she’d want to be with Laura, and so accepts the change
of plans.

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July 29. Hal and Lisa will be picking up Jonny from camp and It’s a sign of Miranda’s broadening perspective that she evaluates
arriving the next day. Laura doesn’t want Hal to worry about his the cost of eating three meals a day and Laura’s motives behind the
children, so she declares that while he and Lisa are visiting, they suggestion rather than just enjoy the windfall. Miranda is starting to
will all eat three meals a day. Miranda is excited about the idea think beyond the current moment and is grasping the long-term
of more food, but wonders if Laura is really doing this to hide ramifications and hardships they’ll be facing. As she considers these,
the truth from Jonny, who doesn’t know they cut back their she also factors in whether it would have benefited any of them to
food intake while he’s been gone. Miranda analyzes Laura’s have disbanded and gone their own ways—but her conclusion, as
motives for not sending Matt off on his own, or encouraging always, prioritizes family.
Miranda to find a guy to protect her like Sammi had—because
both of these plans would ensure more food for Jonny until he
was old enough to care for himself. Miranda decides that Laura
loves them too much to send them away, but that doesn’t solve
the problem of the dwindling supplies in their pantry.

July 30. Jonny, Hal, and Lisa arrive. There is much mutual While it’s been established that Miranda very much loves and wants
scrutiny as everyone tries to deduce how everyone else has to please her father, his value at this moment comes not from his
suffered. Miranda decides that her dad is only slightly thinner, presence, but from the supplies he’s brought with him. Despite being
but much grayer and more wrinkled. She can’t tell if Lisa should their father, Hal hasn’t contributed much to their well-being since
look more pregnant than she is, but says she looks healthy. the moon collision. The paternal tasks have all fallen on Matt. For
While Miranda is excited to see her dad, she’s much more the few days he’s visiting, he’s going to have a chance to try and help
excited by the boxes of food and supplies he’s brought. He says ensure they survive once he leaves again.
he got them from the college where he worked, and Matt is
especially excited to see that he’s brought saws. Hal says that
while he’s there, he’s going to help Matt collect firewood.

Laura gives Lisa all the baby items she’d bought in the store in Miranda is able to reflect on her superficial attitude toward the
May. Back then, Miranda had thought that Lisa would reject the cheap baby clothing. So much has changed since Laura bought it at
cheap clothing, but instead she bursts into tears and cannot a run-down store, and Miranda recognizes how smart Laura’s
stop thanking Laura. They stay up admiring each piece of baby instincts are—and how much she’s made them her own, as Miranda
clothing and then Miranda stays up later to write about it. She now guards her battery usage.
feels “rich with batteries”—even though she knows that all of
these new supplies won’t last forever.

July 31. Hal says they’re going to need enormous amounts of The care Laura takes to protect her furniture and hardwood floor
wood, and that it won’t be safe to keep it outside, so Laura seems at odds with the survival task at hand. Despite this, it’s
decides they should empty the antique furniture out of the comforting that she does care about the floor—and thus foresees
dining room, protect the floor, and store it in there. Miranda there being a future when the dining room could be used as a dining
goes to collect kindling and despite being allowed three meals a room again, not just a place to store essential wood so it won’t be
day, accidentally skips brunch out of habit. Miranda enjoys stolen and they won’t freeze.
having Hal and Lisa there and hearing about Jonny’s time at
baseball camp and working on the farm. Miranda is grateful
again that Horton was found safe, and briefly “all felt right with
the world.”

August 1. The Evanses have a dinner party and invite Mrs. Much like Laura having to give up the dining room in the house she’s
Nesbitt and Peter. Miranda delivers the invitations by bike so proud of, Peter has had to give up his personal doctor’s practice in
while Hal, Jonny, and Matt work on chopping wood. Miranda order to work at the hospital. Both of these personal sacrifices serve
learns that Peter has closed his doctor’s practice and is now the greater good and demonstrate a shifting in priorities.
working at the hospital, which still has electricity, is incredibly
busy, and is guarded by armed security. Peter hasn’t left the
hospital in a week and is delighted by the invitation.

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On her way out of the hospital, Miranda runs into Dan. He’s Miranda is upset by Dan’s leaving because it represents the loss of
there visiting his mom, who has West Nile virus. Dan tells one of the few positive aspects of her life—but also because he
Miranda that he’s leaving—his parents swapped their car for a represents a past and future that no longer exist: one with proms
motorcycle, and they want him to set out on his own so that he and where crushes don’t come with such life-or-death baggage. Her
has a chance of surviving. Dan tells Miranda that he’s liked her comparison of their positions is very typical of Miranda—she always
since before the asteroid’s strike, that he’d been trying to get seems to need to know where she ranks in comparison with others,
up the nerve to ask her to prom, and how much their time at and feels guilty for not having experienced personal loss, but also
Miller’s Pond meant to him. They kiss good-bye and Miranda knows her own hardships aren’t insignificant.
compares their situations—the pain of losing and leaving
people you love like he’s experienced, versus her own
experience of having to watch their day-to-day sufferings. She
concludes that she’s lucky—but that doesn’t stop her from
mourning the loss of prom and what could have been.

August 2. The dinner party is a success, filled with inventive Jonny is the youngest person at the party, but the only one brave
cooking and good company. There’s bread from the last of the enough to ask the hard questions. Lisa flees from even hearing them.
yeast, wine, meringues made from powdered egg whites, and The answers they give Jonny are respectful and honest—if not
pasta with jarred sauce and canned mushrooms. But as the especially hopeful. The fact that Laura does not participate in this
meal comes to an end, Jonny asks, “Are we going to die?” and conversation is telling. She’s tried so hard to shield her children—and
the mood changes. Lisa leaves the room when he asks about especially Jonny—from hard truths. And while she doesn’t lie to him,
food running out and Hal follows her, leaving behind the core she also doesn’t offer anything to a discussion that quickly becomes
‘family’ group that Jonny knows best. Peter says that all they darkly humorous.
can do is focus on each day and stay hopeful. Mrs. Nesbitt
states that she won’t survive it, but Jonny is young and strong.
Miranda asks if things could get worse, and Peter says that
even then life will go on—in some form—and Matt brings up
how insects are around from the dinosaur era. They share a
cynical laugh about the idea of mosquitos outlasting humans.

August 3. Hal announces that he and Lisa will be leaving the Despite having been at her house for days, Miranda hasn’t gotten a
next day. Lisa hasn’t left her room since the upsetting dinner chance to spend time with Hal. She doesn’t resent this because he’s
conversation the night before and is worried about her parents more valuable to her as a gatherer of firewood than he is as a
and getting settled before the baby arrives. Hal works with paternal figure. She has Matt to turn to for advice and doesn’t need
Matt all day to get more firewood, but after dinner he asks him to fill this role. Despite that, it feels nice to hear him compliment
Miranda to talk. Hal tells her how proud he is of her, how right her.
the decision to make her the baby’s godmother feels, and how
much he loves her. Miranda stays sitting long after Hal goes up
to bed, thinking through everything that has happened and
everything that could happen.

August 4. Hal and Lisa leave in the early morning. Hal hugs them Just a week prior Miranda had been dreaming of Springfield as a
and promises to write, but they know they may never see him land of plenty, and now she’s stoically saying good-bye to her father,
again. Lisa drives the car because Hal is crying too hard to see. perhaps forever. His short visit kills some of her lasts hopeful
fantasies.

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CHAPTER 9
August 6. Miranda wakes up missing Sammi and Dan, whom she Miranda writes this entry as a hierarchy—with her dad as more
knows she won’t see again. She fears she won’t see Hal either. personally valuable than Dan, who is more important than Sammi.
She states that she won’t “survive” if she never sees sunlight. But she ranks sunlight highest of all. This is a bit of Miranda’s
personal dramatics, but also related to how Miranda’s immediate
concerns for survival register even more than her father.

August 7-9. The Evanses are all in short tempers after Hal’s Throughout the story Matt has had to fulfill Hal’s paternal
departure. Matt snaps at Miranda for going into his room responsibilities. Hal’s decision to leave and journey west has just
without permission—revealing that he’s exhausted, hungry, and made those responsibilities permanent—which is emotionally
furious at Hal for leaving him to be the father figure for Jonny exhausting for college-aged Matt.
and Miranda.

Despite the replenished food in the pantry, Laura has started Each time Miranda dares to feel hope—this time in the form of a
skipping meals again, which scares Miranda, who sees it as an restocked pantry—someone’s actions will indicate that her feeling is
indication of them not having enough for whatever is ahead. foolish. The convergences of all these bad omens, plus the loss of her
This, combined with the fact that she can’t remember the last father, have understandably left Miranda emotionally drained.
time they had any electricity, the lack of news in town, and the
temperature dropping to not even hit 60, have amplified
Miranda’s anxiety.

August 11. There is a light frost overnight. Jonny tells Miranda In this conversation with Jonny, Miranda plays a role others often
he wants to move south and has heard rumors from his friend take with her—telling him things will get better. When she is told
Aaron, whose dad is on the school board, that some of the this, she tries to believe it, but Jonny is already more cynical than
schools won’t be reopening. Miranda says they can’t leave Mrs. she is and finds this empty statement amusing. His proposal of
Nesbitt, and Jonny suggests splitting up and at least one of splitting up is completely at odds with Miranda’s family-together
them traveling south. Miranda stops the conversation by telling beliefs.
Jonny things will get better. He grins and says that he’s been
hearing that for months and no longer believes it.

August 14. Jonny announces he doesn’t need any presents for Miranda’s annoyance at not being able to think of a noble sacrifice
his upcoming birthday. Miranda is annoyed that she doesn’t is very in keeping with her constant need to compare herself to
have a way of making a noble gesture like that, besides cutting others and be “better”—though her definition of better is very
back to two meals a day, which now feels “normal.” The family is situational.
worried that they haven’t heard from Hal and Lisa.

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August 15. Miranda asks Laura if things have gotten better with Miranda asks her question not looking for an honest
floods and quakes and volcanoes. Instead of reassuring her, answer—instead she’s looking for reassurance—but her demands
Laura emotionally responds to Miranda’s “How much worse often force Laura into the position of having to deliver bad news.
can they get?” by detailing how volcanoes are erupting where Since Laura is feeling helpless to protect her family, this
they’ve never existed, the quakes and tsunamis are getting combination of Miranda’s needs and Laura’s inability to meet them
stronger, fires are burning, epidemics are spreading, farmlands results in both characters angrily reacting to the way they’ve failed
have already had killing frosts, and a nuclear power plant each other.
exploded. They get in a horrible argument about whether or
not Miranda realizes how lucky she is. It ends with Miranda
saying she wishes she’d left with Hal since Laura doesn’t love
her, and Laura telling her to get out.

Miranda bikes to Megan’s house. She is horrified when she sees There are moments in Miranda’s afternoon with Megan where their
how thin Megan has become, but glad that Megan seems happy friendship feels like it used to—back before Becky died and Megan
to see her, and catches her up on her life. Megan is sympathetic became fully absorbed by her religion. While Miranda cherishes
and says she’s also struggling. She wants to make sure these moments, Megan views them as sinful. It is because the girls
everyone’s soul is saved because Reverend Marshall tells her can find comfortable common ground that Megan asks Miranda to
that these hardships are God punishing sin. While Miranda never come back. Miranda’s friendship makes Megan want to
disagrees, they have a good time together, and she’s amazed to live—which conflicts with the message that Megan’s being given by
find herself laughing and enjoying time with Megan. As Miranda her church.
prepares to leave, Megan tells her not to come back. She says
their friendship makes it harder for her to focus on God and be
repentant. As Megan hugs Miranda good-bye, she realizes that
Megan barely has the strength to stand, and she flees home.

Laura is waiting in the kitchen when Miranda returns and the The afternoon with Megan is a wake-up for Miranda about valuing
two of them embrace and both begin crying and apologizing. the people around her and how much they care. While Megan had
Miranda reflects in her journal about how much she loves her equated her friendship with sin, her family truly loves and
mother and how much of a burden Laura has to carry. She ends appreciates her—and she feels likewise.
by saying that if God is looking for sacrifices, her mom is making
them.

August 18. The Evanses celebrate Jonny’s 14th birthday by Miranda is able to reflect not only on the ways she has changed and
playing baseball and having dinner at Mrs. Nesbitt’s house. matured since the moon’s collision, but also on the ways Jonny has.
Mrs. Nesbitt manages to make cookies, and Jonny gives a They’ve all been required to grow up quickly—but Jonny’s been
speech about the importance of sticking together, which makes deprived of so much of his childhood. Even if things were to go back
Laura and Miranda cry. Miranda reflects back on her last to normal—which Miranda now realizes is impossible—he’ll never
birthday and the fights she had with Laura over having a boy/ get his innocence back.
girl party. She can’t believe she was ever that young, or that
things like that seemed important—and she realizes that this
sort of indulgent innocence is a privilege that Jonny will never
have.

CHAPTER 10
August 22. There’s a notice in the post office about a big Miranda is hopeful in this entry, as school means working toward
meeting regarding the coming school year. Miranda is looking something, and working toward something means she has a
forward to school, both because it will give her life a purpose future—an uncertain idea lately.
and because it hints at preparing her for a future.

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August 26-27. Now that she knows what school will entail, While Miranda’s mood often varies from entry to entry, it’s rare for
Miranda angrily reflects back on how hopeful her previous her to reflect on what she’s written before. In this entry she does,
entry was. She’s just come from the town meeting where it is and she’s furious that she dared to hope that her life could still feel
announced that since half of the school population and more structured or normal in any way. She scorns how optimistic she
than half of the school staff won’t be returning, they’ll only be sounded just a few days before, especially in the face of the stark
opening two schools in the fall. The districts have been told to reality of what remains of her town and their resources.
expect no help from the state and will not be able to provide
any bus service, electricity, or lunches. They have some heat
now, but it is expected to run out by mid-September. Miranda
learns a great deal from the crowd’s reactions to these
announcements. She hadn’t realized how few people were left
in town, and it seems like most people are as bad off, if not
worse, than her family.

Once home, Miranda realizes they use gas for their stove and It takes awhile for Miranda to apply the people’s panic from the
water heater. Laura reassures her they can use the woodstove meeting to her own situation, but when she does, Laura already has
for both, but Miranda wonders which is more likely: starving or a solution.
freezing to death.

Since all students are given the choice between homeschooling Laura granting her children the autonomy to make their own school
or attending either of the open schools, Laura says she’ll decisions is her way of recognizing the ways they’ve grown and
support whatever decision Miranda and Jonny make. matured.

August 28. Miranda’s watch has stopped. She realizes this isn’t a Every aspect of this chapter adds to Miranda’s disorientation. She
big deal since she doesn’t have a schedule or a real need for can no longer depend on seasons, time of day, or even the belief that
time, but she finds it disorienting, especially since she can no the world outside her small town continues to exist. With the rapid
longer look at the perpetually gray sky to help determine time loss of so many fundamental “truths,” it’s understandable that
of day. Also, there was a killing frost overnight. The Evanses Miranda is feeling bleak about the continued existence of
gather all of the vegetables that can be harvested, but it isn’t civilization as a whole.
much. And if it feels like late October in August, they’re nervous
about what the winter will bring. Also, they’re no longer able to
get any signals on the radio. Matt suggests this is because the
radio stations ran out of electricity, but Miranda fears it means
more dire things for the larger world. She ends by wondering
how they’d even know if Howell, PA was the last place on earth.

August 29. Miranda has a scary encounter on her way into town For the first time in this novel, the threat is not from the natural
to visit the library. While biking down the empty streets, she world, but from other people. This shift is terrifying for
hears laughter and sees a pickup truck with five armed Miranda—that she’d feel unsafe in her hometown in the middle of
men—two of whom she recognizes. Evan Smothers was a the day. Her expectation that the police still exist and would be
classmate of hers and Ryan Miller played sports with Matt. The willing or able to save the day is a demonstration of how, while her
men are stealing the plywood off the fronts of boarded up perspective has shifted with regards to many survival aspects of her
stores and then looting the insides. The scene makes Miranda life, she’s still struggling to make sense of day-to-day changes.
think of Sammi and black markets and men who take and
demand payment. Even though she’s terrified, she backtracks
to the police station to report the crimes—only to find that the
police station is empty and no one answers her frantic knocks.

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Since Miranda already knows from Peter that the fire station Rather than reassure her, the security guards become the cause of
has been closed, she doesn’t try there, but instead heads to the one more fear for Miranda. They also represent another impediment
hospital. Instead of being able to walk in to see Peter like last between her and help, as she is no longer able to walk into the
time, she is stopped by armed security guards at the door. They hospital and see Peter. She realizes that soon she may not be able to
tell her they’re privately hired to keep people from stealing go anywhere on her own, which is part of why she doesn’t tell Laura,
food, drugs, and supplies, and that they assume the police have but the bigger reason is that Miranda is still trying to make sense of
moved south with their families. They also advise her that it’s what has happened to her and the guards’ advice. Her perceptions
no longer safe for females to be unaccompanied in public—that of the world are changing so rapidly, it’s hard for her to keep up.
someday she “might go out for a bike ride and never come
home.” Miranda is terrified the whole way home. She doesn’t
know what she’s going to do about getting to and from school,
and doesn’t say anything to Laura about her fears.

August 30. Laura asks Jonny and Miranda for their decisions Laura assumes that Miranda’s emotional outburst is just her being
about school. Jonny has chosen to be homeschooled, but—to dramatic, and it shows maturity on Miranda’s part not to correct
Laura’s exasperation—the question causes Miranda to burst her because she’d rather take the hit to her reputation than cause
into tears and run from the room. Matt comes to find her and her mother to worry more. Miranda also makes the wise decision to
she explains to him about the men in town and how she doesn’t attend school at the elementary school because the route to it is
want to tell Laura and cause her more worry. Matt agrees with safer than the one through town to the high school—where she’d
the guards that Laura and Miranda shouldn’t go out alone, and much rather be.
shares that he also feels trapped since he can’t go back to
college—and doesn’t know if there’s even a college to go back
to. He also volunteers to walk Miranda to and from the school.
Her first day will be tomorrow.

CHAPTER 11
The students who show up at Maple Hill Elementary are After having worked with Matt to figure out a plan so she could
divided into groups by age: K-5th grade, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th. safely get to and from Maple Hill Elementary, Miranda learns the
The high school group, including Miranda, has thirty-one rules have changed again and she’ll have to go through town to the
people, but she isn’t friends with any of them. They wait in high school instead. While female students react to the safety
child-sized furniture until their old principal arrives. Mrs. concerns, a male classmate is dismayed about AP courses—either a
Sanchez tells them that there aren’t many high schoolers at very privileged prerogative, or he’s in denial. Miranda’s fears about
either location, and even fewer teachers—at Maple Hill there is the dangers of girls being alone in town are confirmed when she
only her and one English teacher, with an additional four at the hears that a classmate was abducted in broad daylight.
high school. They’ve decided that all the high school classes
need to be held at the high school. The students all react poorly
to this news—one panics about getting into college without AP
courses, and others say it’s not safe to walk through town,
contributing rumors about missing girls. Specifically, they talk
about how a classmate, Michelle Schmidt, was snatched during
the day while walking home from church.

The students in the room slowly begin to give up and leave, but Much like the final days of school in the spring, the value of this day
Miranda is enjoying just spending time with kids her own is the exchange of information with other students. Miranda enjoys
age—even if the talk is about depressing topics like whether or talking to people who are not family—until she realizes that it’s all
not there’s still an FBI, or a point to learning, or even a future. complaints and pessimism, and she doesn’t need more of that.
The bleakness of it all hits Miranda and she leaves, stopping at
the office to collect homeschooling textbooks for herself and
Jonny.

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As Miranda is leaving the office, she notices boxes of school At school Miranda enjoyed being around other people, but once
supplies. Seeing piles of notepads and blue books and pencils, home she craves the privacy of her own room. Her joyous reaction
she quickly empties her book bag and fills it with these because to having pilfered a stash of blue books is related to the release
her journal is full. Miranda is so excited about the prospect of Miranda finds in journaling her experiences. Much like her room,
more places to journal that she even sticks extra notebooks journals are Miranda’s “safe place” to record her feelings.
under her shirt and fills her pockets with pens. Back home she
tells Laura her decision to homeschool and promises to work
hard. She then escapes to her room, which feels like “the only
safe place left.”

September 1-5. Miranda writes three short entries, each of These brief and humorous entries are the author’s way of showing
which gives an excuse for why she’s not going to start that even in a post-apocalyptic world, we still procrastinate
schoolwork that day. unpleasant tasks.

CHAPTER 12
September 6. Miranda wakes up on a 23-degree day and lazes Miranda knows she shouldn’t be going into the pantry—that’s why
around in bed all morning, pretending to study history. The she waits until Laura is asleep. Her feelings about the pantry are
heat isn’t working and they haven’t built a fire, so she has to similar to the Greek myth of Pandora with her box—only Miranda
wear multiple layers to stay warm. She’s bored, cold, and fears that if she opens the pantry door, she’ll forever lose hope.
hungry, and since her mom is taking a nap, Miranda decides on When, instead, she finds the shelves aren’t bare, her anger is a
a whim to go examine the pantry—something Laura has asked reaction to every skipped meal and dire warning she’s received.
them not to do. Instead, Laura leaves food out for them on the
counter. Miranda assumes Laura doesn’t want them to be
anxious about their supplies, but actually, upon seeing the
boxes and cans in the pantry, Miranda is reassured. This feeling
quickly morphs to anger when she decides that they have
plenty of supplies and have been depriving themselves for no
reason.

In the pantry, Miranda spots the bag of chocolate chips she’d Miranda’s anger manifests in her decision to eat the chocolate
impulsively thrown in her cart during the shopping spree the chips. She feels like they’re hers, since she is the one who put them in
day after the moon collision. She emotionally rips the bag open the cart, but it’s also obvious she knows her actions are wrong,
and begins to pour them in her mouth—eating so fast she can’t because she panics when Laura catches her. Laura’s
even taste them. Laura catches her, and they have a big punishment—making Miranda eat every chocolate chip, despite the
argument during which Miranda spills the chips. Laura makes fact that she feels ill, is designed to make Miranda see the depth of
her pick them up and eat every single one in the bag, even when her selfishness. Laura makes the punishment more emotional by
Miranda begs to stop or says she feels sick. When Miranda is waiting until the chips are gone to reveal that she’d been saving
done, Laura tells her that the chocolate is the equivalent of them for Matt’s birthday.
three days’ worth of food, so she can’t join the family at a meal
again until Thursday. Laura also says that she’d been saving the
chips for Matt’s upcoming birthday. After Laura’s lecture,
Miranda slinks off to her room feeling sick to her stomach and
sick with guilt.

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September 7-14. Miranda continues to focus on food. First With few other distractions for her thoughts, Miranda fixates on
Jonny asks her why she’s not allowed to eat, and she lies and food. Her feelings about foods are distorted by her guilt about the
tells him she ate a can of string beans. Then, once her chocolate chips, so that even once she has Laura’s permission to
punishment is over, she recounts each meal—including the one rejoin them at meals, Miranda feels reluctant to eat and doesn’t
to celebrate Matt’s birthday. While there aren’t chocolate chip enjoy the cookies Mrs. Nesbitt makes for Matt’s birthday.
cookies, Mrs. Nesbitt made oatmeal raisin. Miranda eats one so
Laura won’t be mad at her, but feels guilty doing so and thinks
Megan is right to call her a sinner.

September 16. They receive two letters from Hal. Currently Hal Traditional familial roles are inverted—Miranda wants to still be the
and Lisa are living in a primitive refugee camp on the border of child and have her father worry about her, versus the other way
Kansas, because the state has restrictions about letting people around. She’s used to her dad being optimistic, and the lack of that
in—especially if they’re pregnant, and Lisa is showing. Matt cheer in the letter upsets her. Yet again, Matt is being forced into a
translates some of the nuance of the letter for Jonny and paternal role and filling the gaps of Hal’s absence by comforting
Miranda—Hal is looking for the right person to bribe to let Miranda and Jonny.
them pass through Kansas on their way to Colorado. The
letters aren’t written in Hal’s typically optimistic style, and this
haunts Miranda, who fears that if they don’t hear from him
again, they’ll never know if they’re safe.

September 17. Miranda returns from collecting kindling to find Laura’s displaced emotions and sadness about the man from the
Laura crying in the kitchen because she’s thinking of the man grocery store highlight one of the hardest parts of their new
with the pregnant wife, who she helped to shop back on May reality—the fact that they’ll never have information or closure about
19. Miranda realizes that sometimes it’s easier to cry over so many things.
strangers than the people you know and love.

CHAPTER 13
September 18. Laura trips and sprains her ankle. Since Matt and Miranda’s notions about how the world works are challenged when
Jonny are at Mrs. Nesbitt’s house, Miranda has to go by herself she can’t get help for her injured mother. Rather than offering
to the hospital to find Peter. But the guards won’t let her in to protective advice, like the last hospital guards she encountered,
see Peter, and they get pleasure out of Miranda’s tears and these get sadistic pleasure from denying her request to see Peter
begging. She stands outside and begs people to bring Peter a and watching her strength fail as she stands in the cold for hours.
message for her, but they ignore her and make her feel like a Miranda feels helpless that all her effort is for nothing—it’s Matt’s
beggar. When Miranda gets too tired and weak to stand, she connections that get results, not anything she’s done.
sits down on the frozen ground, which causes the guards to
harass her about loitering. Finally Matt shows up looking for
her—and the guard knows him and allows Matt inside to get
Peter. Thankfully Peter has a car, because Miranda is too weak
to bike home.

At their house, Peter diagnoses Laura with a bad sprain and Peter often acts as a harbinger of bad news, so it’s a relief that
wraps her ankle. Since she can’t climb stairs, they move her Laura’s ankle isn’t more badly injured, and his restrictions sound
mattress to the sunroom. Peter gives everyone surgical masks manageable. Though, it wouldn’t be a visit from Peter if he didn’t
to wear outside, since the air quality is causing lots of asthma. have word of some kind of new trouble—in this case it’s the uptick in
Laura invites him to stay for supper, but he has to go back to the asthma and decrease in air quality.
hospital, where he’s working 18-hour days to make up for the
lack of staff. He promises to come back and check on Laura’s
ankle.

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Miranda and her brothers talk about how they’ll divide up the Miranda’s growing maturity is demonstrated in the way she chooses
extra work while Laura is recuperating. Miranda realizes that to shoulder Laura’s chores without complaint. Her conscientious
she needs to step up her behavior, and no more whining or decision to not argue or let others know how scared and upset she
arguing—but she also feels really scared and helpless about feels are all signs that she recognizes how tasked her family is and
how fragile they are and how tenuous their situation is. She her desire to not be a further burden.
slips away to record her feelings in her journal and
cry—thinking of Hal and Lisa, the baby, and Grandma—how
they might be hurt and she might never know. Then she dries
her eyes and goes downstairs to pretend everything is fine.

September 19. Miranda keeps her mom company in the This lighthearted scene is a nice contrast to the bleakness of the
sunroom, and Laura thanks her for the way she went to get family’s typical life. The way Laura and Miranda tease each other is
help and tells her how brave she’s been these past few months. a clear indication of how close their relationship is, and even though
They have a tender moment, and then Laura asks Miranda to they argue and have been tested by the events of the past several
cut off her hair because she hates that she can’t wash it often. months, how much they love each other.
Miranda hacks it off, and Laura offers to return the favor or
braid Miranda’s hair in cornrows, but Miranda declines. They
laugh together and Miranda remembers just how much she
loves her mom.

September 20. Miranda goes to visit Mrs. Nesbitt—who has Mrs. Nesbitt’s calm attitude about her own mortality is hard for
repeatedly turned down offers to move in with the Evanses Miranda to hear. Knowing that their time together is short, she vows
because she wants to die in her own home, something she to make the most of it, both because of her own affection for Mrs.
expects will happens soon. Mrs. Nesbitt hasn’t heard from her Nesbitt, but also as a surrogate for her mother, who is unable to
son since the moon collision, which can’t be a good sign. make the trip.
Miranda vows to go back the next day and make sure Mrs.
Nesbitt has company and to reassure Laura that she is okay.

September 23. Peter stops by to check Laura’s ankle, which is Much of this chapter has been about the physical changes in
slowly healing. Miranda tells Matt how much older Peter looks characters—Laura’s haircut, Mrs. Nesbitt’s slow decline, and now
now, and Matt responds that all of his patients are dying and his Peter’s dramatic aging. All of these leave Miranda worrying about
ex-wife and daughters have both died. Miranda wonders how what’s to come.
she’ll feel when people she loves die.

September 26-29. On a trip to the library, Miranda sees The abduction of Michelle Schmidt had become a cautionary tale
Michelle Schmidt—the girl that had supposedly been abducted. for Miranda, one more piece of evidence for why she should never
It makes Miranda wonder how many of the rumors they hear go out alone. When she sees Michelle, then, it makes her stop and
are true and leaves her feeling optimistic. She hasn’t stopped reconsider the constant state of fear that has become so
worrying—but feels like she’s gotten used to a state of worry normalized. The new tasks that have been added to her days
and is enjoying time with her family despite all that’s going on. because of Laura’s injuries have also helped Miranda’s outlook, as
She’s settled into a routine of doing housework, hand-washing has the time they’re spending together.
clothes, visiting Mrs. Nesbitt, and spending time in the
sunroom with her family, playing poker and enjoying each
other’s company. Laura even trusts Miranda to go into the
pantry and choose dinners—and while their supplies are
decreasing, Miranda feels confident they have enough to last.

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Peter checks on Laura and says that her ankle is beginning to Laura begins work on her legacy—stories about her ancestors who
mend and she can be more mobile. Matt brings down a built and lived in the house, much the way they’re living there now.
typewriter for her because she wants to record old family Laura is finding hope in looking to the past instead of looking to the
stories of a time before electricity. Miranda is amused by the future, and writing for herself instead of a publisher.
thought that their current life harkens back to that time—and
states that family is more important than electricity.

CHAPTER 14
October 2. Miranda turns on the stove and it’s no longer After the hopeful tones of the last chapter, this one opens more
working—their gas has run out. Now the Evanses have to heat ominously. It’s not that things had been getting better, but there had
food and boil water on the woodstove. This means cutting back been a kind of status quo for a while, and Miranda had normalized
from once weekly showers to none at all, and reducing the to those conditions. Any change for the worse—even if they have
amount of clothes washing. Miranda is upset by this, not provisions for it, like the wood stove—impact her equilibrium and
because of the work, but because it’s an indication that things make her fearful.
are getting worse again. This belief is confirmed when she,
Jonny, and Matt go into town and Mrs. Hotchkiss tells them
that the library is closing for good.

Mrs. Hotchkiss makes a comment about the temperature Miranda loses a bit of her naivety when Matt reveals that Hal had
already being below freezing for two weeks in October, used black market connections to gain supplies. Miranda equates
meaning that none of them will survive the winter in this to the looting men with guns who had scared her in town, or
Pennsylvania. This causes the Evans siblings to bicker about forty-year-old George who used his connections to persuade Sammi
whether or not their family should stay or leave. Jonny wants to to go away with him. Jonny, however, is heartened by this and wants
go find Hal, even though they don’t know where he is. Matt to go join Hal. Matt is the voice of reason between Miranda’s
asserts that they have the greatest chance of surviving where emotionality and Jonny’s impulsivity. Despite this, Miranda is not
they are—reminding them that the disasters are global, not reassured.
local. He also reveals that Hal must’ve used black market
connections to get the supplies and fuel he’s had so far: a fact
that stuns his siblings and make Miranda feel naïve. Matt tells
them they just have to wait for things to get better—Miranda
doesn’t believe it, but thinks as long as they stick together, it’ll
be all right.

October 6. Miranda is having a hard time remembering what Increasingly, the fundamental beliefs that Miranda has about
rain and sunlight are like. With the mail becoming increasingly normal life are being stripped away: her memories of rain and snow,
unreliable, they have no idea what is happening in the larger reliable mail, news of the larger world. Despite all this, she still
world, but since the ash cloud is worsening, they think remembers what the moon should look like, and is grateful she’s not
volcanoes must still be erupting. Matt and Jonny continue to constantly faced with the view of it now.
chop wood, despite the worsening air quality. And Miranda is
grateful that the ash cloud blocks her view of the moon.

October 10-13. The Evanses all decide to cut off their hair For Miranda, having a place of her own where she could go and
because it’s becoming harder and harder to keep clean. Matt write in her journal was incredibly important. The loss of her room is
and Laura argue over whether or not to use the last of the the loss of much of her remaining privacy. She spends so much of
heating oil. He wins, and they will use the oil, but they also her day in close quarters with her family that this small change
decide to close off the upstairs and move all the mattresses hurts—even though it means the physical comfort of heat.
down into the kitchen and living room. Miranda mourns the
loss of her bedroom, but doesn’t feel like she has a place to cry
about it.

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October 14-15. Matt tells Miranda that Megan and Mrs. Miranda feels no comfort in the news that Megan achieved the
Wayne’s names appear on the ‘dead list’ posted in town. death she had sought as a sign of her piety. Miranda has long been
Miranda struggles to process this, especially since Megan had suspicious of Reverend Marshall and the type of religion he
wanted to die, so she goes to see Reverend Marshall to seek preaches. His judgmental comments about Mrs. Wayne and the
out more information. He tells her that Mrs. Wayne hung way he’s profited at the expense of his congregants confirm this. The
herself after they’d buried Megan, and that he won’t allow her fact that Miranda calls him on his behavior is a testament to how
to be interred beside her daughter. She is horrified to see that strongly she loathes him—perhaps comparing his false appearance
while his congregants are all starving, Reverend Marshall hasn’t of sacrifice to the very real sacrifices Miranda and her family
lost weight. Miranda calls him out on his hypocrisy and is members have been making.
escorted from the church.

Miranda bikes over to the Waynes’ house, but finds that it’s Megan’s death is a galvanizing event for Miranda. It not only
been looted. She sits in Megan’s empty room and reminisces strengthens her resolve to survive, but it also makes her truly
about their friendship. When she goes home, she sits in the consider the impact her death would have on her mother.
pantry until it’s time for supper. She’s not hungry, but eats
anyway to prove that unlike Megan, she’s going to endure and
survive this—especially so that her mom doesn’t have to go
through what Mrs. Wayne did with losing a child.

October 18-21. Miranda dreams of Megan and hell. She wakes Miranda is used to her mother badgering her to work on schoolwork
up in the kitchen beside Laura and misses the privacy of her and being a source of optimism. Thus Laura’s disinterest in how her
bedroom. Matt volunteers to work at the Post Office on Friday children are spending their time disquiets Miranda, who feels like it’s
so they don’t have to close. When Laura applauds the purpose an indication her mother has given up on them.
this gives his life, Jonny and Miranda scoff. Laura tells them “do
whatever you want. I’m past caring.” This sentiment terrifies
Miranda.

October 24. The temperature reaches 29 degrees and Miranda Throughout the narrative, Miller’s Pond has been a place of escape
decides to go skating on Miller’s Pond. She arrives to see that for Miranda. This entry takes that idea to a new (and almost
world-famous figure skater Brandon Erlich is also there, and fantastical) level, providing not only space away from her family and
the two of them skate together. He encourages her and praises a place to skate, but also Miranda’s hero/celebrity crush as a skating
her—even when she gets winded after just a few minutes partner. Even now, though, nothing is perfect. She tires quickly, and
because of the air quality. They discuss his Olympic dreams, her they can’t escape talking about their bleak realities.
fandom, and their new reality. He asks her to come skate with
him again tomorrow.

CHAPTER 15
October 26. Laura has sprained her ankle again, preventing Despite having plans with Brandon, Miranda doesn’t seem upset at
Miranda from going back to the Miller’s Pond. Miranda can’t being prevented from skating. Since Miranda isn’t sure if the day
decide if she truly saw and skated with Brandon Erlich, or if she with Brandon truly happened—or if it was, presumably, a
made it up. She’s kept busy taking care of Laura, who they’ve hallucination caused by stress and hunger—it feels safer for her to
moved to the sunroom so she’s out of the way of foot traffic in not go back and chance the disappointment. Plus, Miranda always
the kitchen. And even though it means waking up every few thrives on being needed, and she is definitely needed at home.
hours to go check if the woodstove in the sunroom has burned
out, Miranda continues to sleep in the kitchen because it
affords her a tiny amount of privacy.

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October 28. Peter stops by and confirms that Laura’s ankle is re- Laura’s first ankle sprain only feels like less big of deal in
sprained. Miranda reflects on the first time Laura sprained it comparison—at the time it felt terrifying. Miranda’s perspective is
and how it wasn’t such a big deal. Now, just a few weeks later, constantly evolving with their situation.
things are much worse.

October 29. During a visit to Mrs. Nesbitt’s house, Mrs. Nesbitt Mrs. Nesbitt’s calm and thoughtful approach to death is a
tells Miranda that it’s better that Laura can’t come visit so that revelation to Miranda. Unlike Megan’s fanatical religious desire for
she’s not the one to find her dead. Mrs. Nesbitt then talks death, Mrs. Nesbitt’s unsentimental plan feels admirable. Miranda
matter-of-factly about what she’d like Miranda to do when she is especially intrigued by the way that Mrs. Nesbitt orchestrated her
dies—do whatever is easiest with her body and take all the own legacy—deciding that she’s not okay with her diaries and letters
useable supplies from her house, and she bequeaths gifts of being read, but that she wants the Evanses to have her photo
jewelry and paintings to each member of the Evans family. She albums. In this way, Mrs. Nesbitt is in control of the narrative of her
tells Miranda she’s already burned all of her letters and diaries, life she leaves behind.
but they may have her photo albums. Miranda reflects that she
may never get the chance to grow old like Mrs. Nesbitt, but at
whatever age she faces death, she hopes she does so with
similar courage.

November 1. Matt arranges to buy black market plywood, which Miranda is bothered by Matt’s actions because they seem to close in
he uses to cover the windows of the sunroom and the kitchen her life, but also because he turned to the same armed looters that
for extra insulation. Miranda is furious because he didn’t ask, had scared her in town—and Miranda wants Matt to be above
and this blocks out what little natural light was coming in, moral reproach.
making her world feel that much smaller.

November 5. The Evanses’ well runs dry. They’ll have to rely on Miranda is less upset about the loss of water than the loss of her
bottled water, or cutting ice from Miller’s Pond and boiling it. privacy. Throughout the narrative, Miranda has demonstrated how
And without water, there’s no reason to use up the heating oil much she craves having a space of her own, and though she knew
to protect the pipes, so Matt decides they’re all moving into the this moment was coming, she doesn’t feel ready. While the others
sunroom. Miranda protests, but is overruled. They’ll live, eat, can’t be excited about this move either, Miranda is so caught up in
sleep, and cook in the sunroom, only venturing into the house her own feelings that she doesn’t notice or record anyone else’s.
to get firewood or food from the pantry. Laura gives an
impassioned speech about them needing to survive and
Miranda begs for and receives one last night of sleeping in the
house before her total loss of privacy.

CHAPTER 16
November 7. Miranda finds Mrs. Nesbitt dead when she goes to Miranda models her attitude about Mrs. Nesbitt’s death on the
visit her. Miranda kisses her cheek, then follows the directions pragmatic attitude her elderly neighbor had shown in facing it. She
Mrs. Nesbitt had given her about taking her supplies. While is very methodical as she inventories the house for useful items. The
ransacking the house, she finds a box of old baseball cards to moment her stoicism cracks is when she realizes that even before
put aside for Jonny for Christmas and chocolates for Laura. her death, Mrs. Nesbitt must have been sacrificing her own comfort
More importantly, she finds food, medicine, and others in order to save supplies for the Evanses.
supplies. She realizes that Mrs. Nesbitt has likely been going
hungry to save supplies for them, and that Mrs. Nesbitt’s well
hasn’t run dry. Miranda fills a bag with supplies and walks home
through the woods to avoid being seen—and stops to give Matt
the news.

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Matt, Jonny, and Miranda make a plan on how to transport the While Matt, Jonny, and Miranda loved Mrs. Nesbitt, they have to be
supplies from Mrs. Nesbitt’s house to their own. They need to focused on the task at hand—figuring out how to transport those
do so quickly before anyone else catches on and begins raiding. supplies before others notice and begin to ransack her house. The
Matt drives Laura’s van over, while Miranda fills up Mrs. noise of cars is so unusual that they know it will spark notice from
Nesbitt’s car and drives that to her house, despite never having any remaining neighbors.
driven before. Jonny takes firewood in a wheelbarrow.

While Jonny and Matt bring Mrs. Nesbitt’s body to the Even honoring the dead and sharing memories are done on a
hospital, Laura and Miranda reminisce about Mrs. Nesbitt and timetable. Later there will be time to reminiscence, but first they
the special items she had bequeathed to each of them. Then have to complete survival-related tasks.
they get to work organizing supplies.

November 8-10. Miranda finds Laura crying in the pantry over The pantry is one of the few places in the house that is still
Mrs. Nesbitt. Peter also stops by to comfort her. private—it’s also off limits to the Evans children.

November 11-15. Miranda thinks it’s funny that the Post Office Miranda rarely has the chance or privacy to consider her reflection
is closed for Veteran’s day, but is less amused when she weighs or how her body has changed. There is no room for vanity in their
herself and realizes she’s down to 96 pounds. She doesn’t think quest to survive, and her self-assessment is detached and clinical.
any of them are in danger of starving yet, but realizes they’re
unlikely to get any more supplies and need to be careful.

November 18-26. On two consecutive Fridays Matt brings Miranda’s feelings about Hal’s letter are complex. She’s excited to
exciting things home from the post office. The first is letter receive it, disappointed to discover it’s old, and hopeful that there
from Hal. Unfortunately, it’s an older letter than the latest will be more news, but ultimately conflicted by the fact that she
they’ve received. While it doesn’t contain new information, it doesn’t know if she’ll hear from him again, and that he feels absent
still feels hopeful to know that mail is at least being delivered. in the same way as those she knows are dead.
Miranda debates whether she should miss the people who are
alive more than those who are dead—but they’re all gone from
her life, so it doesn’t make much difference.

On the second Friday, Matt brings home Peter and a small Miranda has no moral objections to Matt getting something from
black market chicken to celebrate Thanksgiving, which had the black market when that thing is food. She doesn’t want to
been the day before when they hadn’t been feeling thankful, conjecture what he traded for it though.
but now Miranda is almost delirious with the joy of having had
real food.

The next day even Laura’s spirits seem revived and for the first Laura’s attitude toward schoolwork is a reflection of how hopeful
time in months, she hassles her kids about their neglected she’s feeling about her children’s chances of survival. When she’s
schoolwork. They each choose a subject to study, and though despairing, it becomes unimportant to her.
Miranda grumbles, she’s grateful to have something ‘normal’ to
do.

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November 30-December 1. Miranda avoids schoolwork by going Miranda is so desperate for privacy that she’s grateful that Brandon
for a walk to Mrs. Nesbitt’s—where, despite it having been Erlich isn’t at the pond—though she’s not sure he was ever really
ransacked, she finds a set of colored pencils to give Matt for there. Yet even on her precious walk alone she’s thinking of her
Christmas—and by going skating at Miller’s Pond. Miranda family, as evidenced by her search for a Christmas present for Matt.
enjoys the time alone, and questions whether or not Brandon
Erlich was ever really there. She notices the lake surface has
been hacked for drinking water. They still have water at home,
thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt’s well, but she, Matt, and Laura are
down to one meal a day.

CHAPTER 17
December 2. It begins to snow. At first this is novel—dingy gray The author creates a dramatic sense of suspense in this section by
snow when they haven’t had precipitation in months—and spinning out the story with lots of details. We know that Miranda
positive, since they can collect it for drinking water. But quickly must have made it safely back in the house because she’s recording
they become concerned about Matt, who is volunteering at the the story in her diary, but the stark emotion and sensory details
post office. As the day passes and snow accumulates, Laura within her narrative build tension and create a panicked, fearful
forbids Jonny and Miranda from going to look for him, saying “I tone about whether Matt will make it home or Miranda herself will
can’t risk losing two of you!” Finally, once it’s dark out, Jonny find her way back to the house in the blinding snow.
and Miranda decide to take turns standing at the end of their
driveway with an oil lamp. When it’s Miranda’s turn, the wind
blows her over and the lamp extinguishes. As she’s sitting in the
snow panicking, Matt arrives. Even after they’re all safe inside
and in dry clothing, Miranda finds the storm eerie.

December 3-4. It continues to snow through the next day, Snow brings the blessing of water, but also the dangers of potential
resulting in more than four feet of accumulation. This is great roof collapse and being trapped inside. Despite this, it’s a change in
for supplying water, but not great for the roof or how isolated routine during a time where their days have become monotonous
their house is. Matt comments that their bikes will be useless and they’ve been lacking in purpose.
and there aren’t enough cars to clear the roads, but he did see a
pair of cross country skis in the garage. Laura worries about
what would happen if they fall ill and needed help. They don’t
expect the snow to melt before April or May. Working with pots
and pans, they shovel out the garage door so they can open it to
get to the real shovels and ladder. Despite Laura’s fear, Matt
and Jonny carefully clear the snow off the roof of the sunroom
while Laura and Miranda melt snow to wash laundry on the
woodstove.

December 5-7. After being snowed in for a week, Miranda is Miranda’s concerns are valid. Until this point they’ve been able to go
getting antsy. Matt attempts to use the skis to get into town, outside—even just for quick walks or Matt’s trips to town. Without
but isn’t strong enough, so has to turn back. Miranda worries those, it’s four grown people sharing one room at all times.
about how claustrophobic they’ll all feel if this continues.

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December 10-13. Jonny finally notices that the others don’t eat A few months back, Miranda was having fierce internal battles over
lunch. He says if they’re only eating one meal, he should too, the fact that Jonny was being given more food than her. Despite
but everyone protests. Miranda thinks that maybe Matt would this, when he asks her if he should eat less too, she emphatically
be the best choice if only one of them were to survive, but disagrees. This change in perspective highlights how Miranda has
knows that Matt would never agree to that. She thinks that matured and become less self-focused. She’s also started to come to
she’d give up food entirely if it would help Jonny live. Miranda terms with the fact that she may not make it, but if she doesn’t
realizes how much bleaker things have gotten in the past few survive, she sees her sacrifices as having a purpose through Jonny’s
months and reflects that she should appreciate these as “good life.
times” in comparison to what’s to come. Jonny asks Miranda if
she minds that he’s eating when she’s not, and she reassures
him, saying that if he survives when they do not, it will have
made their lives worthwhile. Matt decides that instead of being
hungry all day and then eating dinner before bed, they should
eat breakfast and be hungry while they’re asleep. This small
change makes life better.

December 16-21. Jonny asks Miranda if she’s still keeping a While Miranda may not be able to articulate her reasons for
journal, and why. She doesn’t have an answer for why—but says continuing to keep her journal, it is apparent to the reader that it’s
it’s not for him to read. He scoffs—he has enough problems, he an essential part of her day—it’s the place she processes her
says, and has no need to read what she’s written. Miranda also emotions and tries to make sense of her days. Looking back or
doesn’t re-read her writing, because each day she thinks that lingering in the past—at the way things used to be and the things
things are bad, but then each new day is worse. She realizes she used to have—isn’t productive, even when the past is only a few
that Lisa’s due date has past and records her imaginings about days ago. Looking ahead and daydreaming about meeting her half-
the baby, who she’s pretending is a girl named Rachel. While sister and getting married, however, are a way of maintaining hope.
Miranda has no guarantee that Lisa and Hal and the baby are
even alive, she dreams of a beautiful future where things are
better and they’re reunited, there’s plenty of food, she bumps
into Dan and they get married. She realizes that her family
must each have their own fantasy—the only place they have
any time apart in their claustrophobic lives.

CHAPTER 18
December 24. On Christmas Eve the Evanses hang ornaments Miranda finds great comfort in this moment of community. It is such
on their clothesline and Miranda is excited to give her family a relief to know that they are not alone—since the last time they
the presents she has hidden away. They hear singing, and go gathered as a neighborhood was for the asteroid’s collision. Despite
outside to see that a group of neighbors has gathered in the this, she knows promises to see each other again are false. No one
street to carol. They haven’t seen these people in months. And wants to reveal the contents of their pantries or woodpiles.
though it is a special moment of hopefulness and community,
Miranda doesn’t expect to see them again soon—everyone is
too focused on surviving to socialize.

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December 25. Despite all the hardships, Miranda records that Like a moralistic classic Christmas story, the lesson Miranda learns
this is “the best Christmas ever.” They feast on broth, pasta, from their holiday without proper food, decorations, or presents is
canned clams, and string beans, with Jell-O for dessert. And that it’s better to spend the time celebrating with those you love
Miranda isn’t the only one with surprise presents. She receives than to receive an excess of expensive gifts.
a new diary and a watch. She is delighted about both of these
gifts—even more so when she realizes the watch had been Mrs.
Nesbitt’s. One of Laura’s presents is a photo of her as a child
sitting in the sunroom with her parents. Miranda compares this
meager Christmas with the lavish one after her parents’
divorce, and despite the paltry gifts, she decides that this one
was better.

December 27-31. The Evanses keep busy with their Miranda’s resolution reflects her growing awareness that her
homeschooling, playing Scrabble, and holding sing-alongs. They remaining time may be finite. Though she can appreciate how much
hang up the paintings Mrs. Nesbitt left them and some of they’ve overcome and how long they’ve survived, she knows that
Matt’s sketches. Miranda reflects on the year that’s ending unless things change, they won’t last in a holding pattern without
with gratitude. While she doesn’t know if there’s a future, she’s new supplies. Instead, she’ll focus on the now.
grateful for her family and the moments she’s gotten to share
with them. She makes a New Year’s resolution to appreciate
every moment she has left.

January 1. Matt’s New Year’s resolution is for him, Miranda, and While they all know that the true purpose behind learning to ski is
Jonny to become proficient on the cross country skis. They try that the last survivor would have a means of escape, Miranda is
and all tire out very quickly, but the prospect of building able to pretend this isn’t so and focus on the pond.
endurance and being able to travel to Miller’s Pond and skate
cheers Miranda.

January 3-7. Miranda, Jonny, and Matt practice on the skis. This Knowing how catastrophic illness could be in their weakened state,
skill feels even more important after their neighbor, Mr. without access to health care or proper nutrition, the characters all
Mortensen, shows up unexpectedly begging for medicine feel enormous anxiety. For Miranda this manifests as both knowing
because his wife is very sick. Laura reluctantly shares aspirin, she needs to improve on skis and not wanting to let Laura out of her
but all of the Evanses are worried and Miranda feels reluctant sight. These goals are at odds with each other, however, making her
to let her mom out of her sight, even to go ski. They know that if even more anxious when performing either task.
anyone gets sick, the skis are their only means of getting to the
hospital, and they all watch each other cautiously for signs of
illness. When it snows again, skiing becomes harder and
Miranda’s spirits sink. She worries they won’t make it and
wishes for the optimism of Christmas.

CHAPTER 19
January 10. Laura wakes up ill and soon Jonny is screaming in Their fears about illness manifest in a way that places all the
delirium too. Matt says he’ll go get help, but then realizes he responsibility on Miranda. Knowing that she failed to get help
can barely stand. Miranda vows to go get Peter, and she skis to during her last trip to the hospital, she nevertheless tries again—only
the hospital. But once she gets there, she learns that it’s to learn that there’s no one left to help them. The death of Peter,
deserted. The only people left are two nurses who are too who’d felt like a safety net for all things medical, is an especially hard
scared to go home and learn what has happened to their own blow.
families. Every one else—including Peter—has died from the flu.

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The nurses tell Miranda that there’s nothing that they or she Miranda can’t accept the nurses’ advice—because if so, there’s
can do to help. She can try to keep her sick family members nothing she can do to save her family, and knowing she’s helpless
hydrated and pray—but it’s really up to chance whether they adds to her panic. Miranda oscillates between terror that she’ll fall
live or die. Miranda rejects this and skis home in tears, telling ill too and dread that she’ll be the only one to survive.
Matt “We’re on our own,” before he collapses. She records her
thoughts in case she falls ill and dies, and ends the entry by
praying not to be the last one left alive.

January 11-12. Miranda nurses her mother and brothers with The weather in this scene adds an extra layer of tension. The
very little change. Matt seems the least sick and she’s hopeful conditions are worsening, trapping Miranda in the house. Not that
he’ll survive, but Laura and Jonny are too weak to even swallow there is anywhere she could go for help, but it makes her exhausting
without assistance. Miranda is exhausted from caring for them, job of caring for three ill people by herself feel extra confining.
but doesn’t feel ill. There are snow- and ice-storms outside.

January 13-14. Miranda wakes up and realizes the sunroom is The author drags out this scene with many small sensory
full of smoke and everyone is choking. With Matt’s help she details—the temperature in the frozen basement beneath Miranda’s
drags Laura and Jonny into the kitchen, then ventures down in bare feet, the smell of the smoke, the sounds of the coughs. By
the basement to turn off the furnace. She realizes that ice or drawing out these details and extending the scene, she is able to
snow must’ve fallen down the woodstove’s chimney and that create a sense of Miranda’s perseverance against exhausting
she needs to dry out the stove. She does this by staying up all conditions.
night and burning textbooks, though she doesn’t think Matt has
the strength to help her move Laura and Jonny back out into
the sunroom.

January 15-16. Laura’s fever breaks and by the end of the day Miranda’s relief about Laura’s recovery is transformed into concern
she’s coherent enough to order Miranda to eat, something about how to tell her about Peter’s death. Laura has so little that is
Miranda has been too distracted to do for days. Laura wants hers—her whole life has become about her kids’ survival, and
Peter to come look at Jonny, but Miranda doesn’t have the Miranda knows her relationship with Peter was a rare bright spot.
heart to tell her Peter has died, so she says it’s too late to travel
to the hospital. The following day Jonny has started to recover.

January 17-26. Miranda continues to struggle with everyone’s At this moment Miranda’s personal growth is nearly complete. No
chores. At times she resents this. Laura and Jonny are starting longer is she the girl from the book’s beginning who obsessed about
to be strong enough to take a few steps, but Miranda worries petty things, picked arguments with her mom, or needed instruction
that Matt damaged his heart when he helped her drag them to take action. Miranda is now effectively running the family and
from the smoky sunroom. Miranda feeds them three meals a making life-or-death decisions that affect everyone. While she may
day to help them recover, but knows this is a risky use of their question herself, she doesn’t hesitate to care for them.
dwindling supplies. When Miranda finally agrees to let them
help her, she sleeps for two days straight, then wakes to clear
the snow off the sunroom’s roof, marveling that her whole
family survived the flu.

January 27. Laura tells Miranda how proud she is of the way Despite the ways she’s matured, Miranda is still ill-prepared to tell
Miranda took care of them all while they were sick. Laura asks if Laura about Peter’s death or provide comfort. There’s irony in the
she remembers seeing Peter, or if she was delusional, and fact that a conversation that began with Laura praising Miranda for
Miranda reveals that Peter has died. She tries to offer comfort heroics ends with her wishing for the need for fewer heroes.
by saying he died heroically, to which Laura responds, “I wish
we didn’t need so damn many heroes.”

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January 30-February 4. While they’re recovering, Laura has the Matt continues in the almost sacrificial role he’s played throughout
siblings resume schoolwork. Matt remains too weak to even the story. Now it’s his strength—the thing the family had depended
climb a flight of stairs. This upsets him and he worries that he on for so long—that he’s given up in order to save Laura and Jonny.
won’t ever be strong again, and that he’ll be a burden. Miranda
reminds him that he hurt himself saving Laura and Jonny, and
that he’s her hero regardless of his strength.

February 7. Laura’s birthday is celebrated by small tokens of This journal entry is another example of the characters appreciating
love, like Jonny letting her beat him at chess and Matt walking their time together, because they realize it’s limited.
to and from the stairs. She declares it her best birthday yet.

CHAPTER 20
February 9-18. Miranda and Jonny continue to practice on the Miranda continues to seek out and find small moments of joy. These
skis. Matt works on rebuilding his strength. Laura finds tulip are often related to escaping for a few moments of privacy, or
bulbs and roasts them for a special dinner. Miranda thinks of retreating into daydreams.
Dan briefly on Valentine’s Day. Miranda makes a trip to Miller’s
Pond to skate and has a wonderful time.

February 20-22. Jonny has cut down to one meal a day like the The rest of the Evanses have spent so long trying to protect Jonny
rest of his family. Miranda thinks he peeked in the pantry and and not restrict his meals the way they have their own. Now,
saw how little food remains. Laura has practically stopped however, they finally have to admit defeat and allow him to make
eating. They are startled by four minutes of electricity in the this sacrifice, but Miranda knows that it’s not going to be
middle of the night, and the next night they try the radio and enough—not long term.
find that it’s broadcasting again. The messages are similar to
months ago—lists of the dead and the president promising that
things will be better soon. Despite the lack of change, Miranda
is heartened to hear that life has continued and they aren’t
alone.

February 25-March 3. Miranda chronicles how much electricity While electricity is novel, it quickly ceases to be hopeful, and with its
they have each day. It varies from none at all to twelve minutes. inconsistency, it’s often not even helpful. It’s less exciting to hear the
The phones still don’t work, but other than Hal, no one would news say that things will be better soon when you feel that you
be calling. After the novelty wears off, Miranda wishes that won’t be alive to see them.
instead of electricity returning, they had more supplies. She
worries that Laura is willing to burn up batteries on the radio
because she doesn’t think they’ll be alive to need them.

March 4-6. Everyone is getting weaker due to lack of food. In the beginning of the novel, Miranda was constantly creating
Miranda looks in the pantry and wishes she hadn’t. Laura asks hierarchies of goodness or worthiness. Now she’s creating similar
her to skip eating a few days a week and Miranda agrees, lists, but they contain the ideal order of their deaths. Instead of
despite the fact that Matt and Jonny will continue to eat one being focused on herself, they’re focused on what’s best for her
meal daily. Miranda starts to imagine her ideal order for them whole family.
to die in: Mom, herself, then Matt—so that Jonny has a chance
of surviving.

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March 7-16. Miranda resents all the blank pages in her diary Miranda’s diary, with its blank pages, represents the future she was
that she won’t get to fill. Laura faints from hunger because she supposed to have, but she has resigned herself to not surviving.
hasn’t eaten for days. Miranda realizes that there are less than Instead of fighting against this inevitability, she’s starting to
ten days of food in the pantry if they’re all eating, and two calculate the cost of her very existence, which continues to deplete
weeks if just Matt and Jonny do. Miranda wonders if it’s easier her family’s supplies.
to stop eating than just have a few sips of soup, and if she’ll be
alive to celebrate her birthday the next week. She no longer
recognizes her appearance in the mirror, but dreams about a
pizza parlor—and thinks that it’s heaven.

CHAPTER 21
March 17. Miranda announces that she’s going into town. She Much like Mrs. Nesbitt faced her death with calm and logic,
knows that she doesn’t have the strength to make it there and Miranda makes a plan that will minimize pain to the rest of her
back, but wants to spare Laura from having to see her die. She family. She tells Matt so that he won’t expend energy searching for
tells them she’s going to check for a letter from Hal about Lisa’s her, but knows it’s kinder to let Laura and Jonny believe her story. As
baby, but privately tells Matt the truth. She tells them all good- she walks, she repeats that fiction to herself—until she starts to
bye and begins the long walk through the deep snow. Miranda believe it, and is confronted with the truth in the form of a closed
makes it to town, and it seems deserted. None of the houses post office. In the midst of such detachment and despair, the yellow
have smoke and there are frozen carcasses of dead pets. The paper on the gray street symbolizes hope—and like a magpie
post office is closed—and even though this was just an excuse attracted to something shiny, Miranda must have it.
for her trip, seeing this deflates Miranda, who sinks down on
the street—but then she sees a flutter of yellow paper.
Miranda hasn’t seen the color in so long, and she chases it down
the dingy gray street.

The yellow flyer reads “City Hall Open Fridays 2-4pm.” Miranda Miranda scarcely dares to believe the flyer. If the post office wasn’t
makes her way there and is surprised to find it open. Inside open, why would City Hall be? Despite this, it’s worth the effort,
Mayor Ford and Tom Danworth introduce themselves and ask since she can’t make it home and has nowhere else to go. The sight
if Miranda is there to sign up for food deliveries. They joke of the glib men who joke about her skinniness is just enough to tip
about her skinniness and tell her that food distribution began the scene out of too idyllic, but Miranda still isn’t sure it’s real.
four weeks ago, one bag per person, and that if she’s willing to
wait until they’re done, they’ll drive her home and make sure
she’s telling the truth about her family to get them all signed up.

Miranda insists on carrying a bag of food herself, and when The reaction of each member of the Evans family to the food is in
they arrive Mr. Danworth promises to come back on Monday character—Miranda wants the credit, Laura is emotional, Matt is
with more of the supplies they’re owed. Laura sobs, Matt appreciative, and Jonny is curious.
shakes Mr. Danworth’s hand, and Jonny pokes through the bag
as Mr. Danworth reassures them that since they’ve made it this
far, they’ll survive. After he leaves, Jonny begs to have dinner,
“Just this once,” and Laura agrees. As they eat, the electricity
comes on and it feels like paradise.

March 18-19. The electricity stays on long enough for them do While the others are still jubilant, Laura remains cautious. If the
a load of laundry and wash their hair. It then comes on later and food delivery isn’t reliable, then their starvation still isn’t prevented,
they cook supper in the microwave, which feels luxurious, but just prolonged.
even with the new supplies, Laura has started to worry about
food again and whether deliveries will be as unreliable as the
electricity.

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March 20. It is Miranda’s seventeenth birthday, and Mr. Miranda has worried so much about whether or not she has a
Danworth shows up with more supplies, promising to return future, and the delivery of so many supplies on her birthday is a
the following week. Miranda reflects on how much she doesn’t symbol that she does. In this moment Miranda embraces the
know: the fate of Hal, Lisa, the baby, Grandma, Sammi, and Dan, unknown, but also appreciates what she has. More importantly, she
but also on the blessings she has: Matt is climbing more stairs, decides to look forward, to state that her journal is her legacy not
they have firewood and water, and the temperature has been for people to read after she’s dead, but for herself, for after this
above zero for a week. She decides to celebrate the day and her ordeal is over and she’s survived.
family and their love. She also decides why she’s writing in her
journal—for herself, to document what she’s going through
now, so that when it’s over she can look back at a record of
what she endured.

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To cite any of the quotes from Life as We Knew It covered in the

HOW T
TO
O CITE Quotes section of this LitChart:
To cite this LitChart: MLA
MLA Pfeffer, Susan. Life as We Knew It. Harcourt. 2006.
Schmidt, Tiffany. "Life as We Knew It." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 17 CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
Feb 2017. Web. 21 Apr 2020.
Pfeffer, Susan. Life as We Knew It. Orlando: Harcourt. 2006.
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
Schmidt, Tiffany. "Life as We Knew It." LitCharts LLC, February 17,
2017. Retrieved April 21, 2020. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/life-
as-we-knew-it.

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