Full Tilt

Blake’s thematic quest is to find balance in terms of his relationship with Quinn and his own fear of risk. The novel begins with an exploration of the differences between Blake and his younger brother. Quinn is rebellious and uninterested in others’ feelings; Blake, on the other hand, is studious and levelheaded. The first two chapters introduce this relationship, and the brothers continue to be at odds throughout the novel. When Blake first finds Quinn on the ship ride, Quinn is “scream[ing] in defiance of the crashing waves, daring them to shake him loose” (81). Blake rescues his brother, but Quinn is bitter because of it. Their priorities—and their survival instincts—sit in opposition.

Balance is what brings the brothers together and allows them to succeed in their respective quests. As they struggle to survive the final ride, Blake understands, “So much of my life had been under tight control. So much of Quinn’s life had been wild insanity. What we needed now was both: a directed burst of controlled insanity” (177). The brothers cannot survive the ride—or the park—without finding middle ground. Ultimately, what pulls them through is the realization that “Quinn and I were connected now, like we were when we were younger, when our differences didn’t pull us apart but made us complete” (175).