The Ashen Guy 1. This is a narrative about mass movement. In which direction is the narrator himself moving at first? When and where does he come closest to ground zero before moving back with the crowd? What role do the police play to move the narrative along?

2. When does the ashen guy first appear? How does the narrator create the impression in paragraph 8 that he is getting closer to this mysterious man who is the focal point of his narrative? In which paragraphs, before and after this close-up, does the narrator give a long perspective to the scene by looking back toward ground zero?

3. dialogue is one of the most dramatic or playlike elements of narrative, introducing multiple points of view, thus enabling the narrator to show us what other characters are thinking instead of just telling us about their thoughts. How many different speakers does Beller identify? What does each contribute to this narrative?

4. Dialogue also enables the narrator to convey new information to the reader. What crucial details does the ashen guy give us through what he says?

5. What are the implications of Beller's use of the word "ashen" in the story of a national nightmare?

6. Why do you suppose Beller calls the person at the center of his narrative a "guy," rather than a man or a gentleman or a citizen?