Eleven

Eleven, Tom Rogers’s 2014 middle grade historical fiction novel, follows several characters in New Jersey and Manhattan on September 11, 2001. The protagonist, Alex Douglas, turns 11. At the same time, his father, a train driver, navigates the destruction at Ground Zero, and another man, Mac, anxiously awaits the return of his son, who works in the Twin Towers. In capturing their experiences, Rogers develops themes of Heroism in Ordinary People, Maturing When Faced with Adversity, and The Personal Impact of Large-Scale Tragedy. Eleven was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2014 list and is a bestseller at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York.

This guide refers to the 2014 Alto Nido Press edition.

Content Warning: The source material uses an ethnic and religious slur against Muslim people. This guide references such language in direct quotes only.

Plot Summary

The novel, narrated from an omniscient third-person perspective, begins with Alex Douglas playing a video game. His mom pulls the plug on his heroic mission, reminding him about chores and homework. Alex’s mind wanders to his love of airplanes and his desire for a dog. When he voices the expectation he will get a dog on his 11th birthday tomorrow, his mother reminds him that he needs to be more mature. Later, Alex’s dad confirms that he is not ready for the responsibility, and Alex tells his father that he hates him.

The next morning, his dad leaves for work. He drives a commuter train beneath the Hudson River to the World Trade Center. Alex has a great start to his birthday. However, on the bus, the school bully, Jordan McCreevy, crushes Alex’s birthday cupcakes. Then, Alex spots a stray dog outside before going to school. At 9:45 am, students are directed to pack up their belongings. Confused, Alex accompanies his sister, Nunu, to the hospital where his mother works. Instead of explaining, his mom instructs them to go home and not watch television; she must stay at the hospital. Alarmed by her behavior, he can only think about his ruined birthday.

The narrative shifts to the Man in the White Shirt, who is beneath the World Trade Center. It will later be revealed that the unnamed man is Alex’s father. The building shakes, fire explodes from the elevator, the lights go out, and sprinklers engage. Amid the chaos, the man learns that an airplane flew into the tower. Running upstairs, he encounters smoke and debris. Once outside, he sees a flaming hole in the North Tower. As the man watches, another plane intentionally veers into the South Tower.

Meanwhile, on the bus, it is eerily silent. When Alex spots the stray dog again, he drags Nunu outside, and the dog bounds onto Alex, licking his face. On the walk home, they enter an empty bakery. Alex takes two cupcakes and candles for his birthday. Leaving money on the counter, they head to a park and run into Alex’s friends. The boys play baseball with a group of older kids.

In the city, Alex’s father feels the rumble of the first tower crash and thinks of the people trapped inside. When a giant chunk of metal lands nearby, he is thrown to the ground and loses his cell phone. After helping a woman to her feet, he sprints from an oncoming cloud of dust.

The baseball game ends with Alex sliding in a cloud of dirt and being congratulated as a hero. Afterward, his friends abandon him when Jordan and his sidekicks approach. They insult Alex and say he is “one of them” (77), referring to the terrorists who attacked the Twin Towers. Still unaware of the tragedy, Alex escapes, helped by the dog, who chases the bullies away. Then, Alex, realizes that Nunu is missing. After locating her, Jordan reappears and hurls a beer bottle, injuring the dog.

Carrying the animal, Alex races to a nearby clinic where a veterinarian patches up the dog, revealing its name and address. He advises Alex to return the dog, Radar, to his owner. Before leaving, Alex learns about the terrorist attack and worries about his father. Alex feels responsible because of his hateful words the night before; as a result, he vows to return Radar to make things right. On the way, Alex spies the smoke where the towers once stood. Workers covered in dust arrive from Manhattan, and Alex concocts a story to protect his sister from the truth.

In the city, Alex’s father brings injured people to a makeshift medical tent. Alone, the man trembles and cries, thinking of his family. As debris swirls around him, he spies a photo of a man and his son. Alex’s father enters a store to call home. Having no luck, he visits a hospital to donate blood, but none is needed because there are few survivors.

Meanwhile, a man named Mac watches the news intently because his son, Bobby, works at the World Trade Center. While his wife, who has Alzheimer’s, sits oblivious in the next room, he wonders if his son will return. Simultaneously, the kids get free pizza before walking to 417 Van Orton Street, Radar’s home. When they get there, only the burned remains of a house exist. Mac, who lives nearby, brings the kids to his house. Alex and Mac share their fears and realize that Bobby and Alex’s father are similar, suggesting that the unnamed Man in the White Shirt could be either of them. Both Mac and Alex make phone calls, but no one answers. Mac advises Alex to find the good amid the bad, and they fly a model airplane before the kids head home.

On the bus, Alex looks for his father, but instead sees Calvin, Jordan’s sidekick who tried to stop the bully from throwing the bottle earlier. At home, Alex prepares dinner and gets Nunu ready for bed. Once she is asleep, Radar scratches at the front door, but when Alex opens it, the dog takes off. Distraught, Alex stays home with his sleeping sister. His mother returns, exhausted but proud of Alex. They hear a knock at the door and go to open it. Across town, Mac crosses the room to open his front door.

Meanwhile, the Man in the White Shirt is almost home. He wants to call home but misses his opportunity when he helps an injured woman onto the bus. Once in his town, he opts to take a shortcut. Spooked by a noise, he spies a bandaged dog, Radar. At home, he knocks on the door.

When Alex opens the door, he embraces his father. When Mac opens his door, he knows his son will not return. Nunu wakes up, Radar returns, and Alex recounts everything, even apologizing for his mean words. In the morning, the family visits Mac. There, Alex offers Mac a piece of his birthday cake, lighting a candle and reminding him to focus on the light.