All That’s Left in the World: Chapter 1 — Andrew

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Andrew imagines that the afterlife includes a movie theater where he can watch the chain of events that led to his current distress. He pictures a long shot of the first infected bird, then a jump over the pandemic and the deaths of his family and friends. The focus lands on a survivalist who set a bear trap in the woods eleven months ago. Andrew himself later steps into that trap, screaming for three hours before he frees himself using T-shirts and a branch. Now he hobbles through the forest with a crude crutch made from a padded tree branch, his wounded leg throbbing. He carries canned food he grabbed in Jersey after deciding to leave the main roads. He has no idea where the nearest road is, and he fears infection. After some time, he discovers a small cabin with drawn shades, leaves on the gravel driveway, and no car in sight. A garden gnome sits at the bottom of the steps, oddly free of leaves. Andrew approaches the cabin, hoping for shelter and food.

Key Events

Andrew describes his hope for an afterlife movie theater that would show his life's turning points.
He recalls stepping into a bear trap set by a survivalist eleven months after the pandemic began.
After three hours of struggle, he frees himself by using T-shirts to tie down the trap's catches and a branch to pry it open.
He travels through the woods with a crutch made from a Y-shaped branch, in pain and watching for more traps.
He comes across a cabin that looks abandoned: shades drawn, leaves piled, no car.
He notices a garden gnome at the bottom of the steps that appears too clean, as if recently shaken off.
He decides to investigate the cabin, hoping to find safety and food.

Character Development

Andrew shows resourcefulness and determination when he frees himself from the bear trap despite severe pain and isolation. His dark, self-deprecating humor — imagining an afterlife with Sour Patch Kids and a Philip Glass score — reveals a coping mechanism and a reflective nature. He is aware of his vulnerability (fear of infection, loneliness) yet pushes forward, motivated by survival. The way he notes the unnaturally clean garden gnome suggests he remains alert to subtle details, even in his exhausted state. This chapter establishes Andrew as a resilient survivor who uses storytelling and imagination to manage trauma.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Survival and the randomness of danger: The bear trap, set by a survivalist but never triggered by bears, becomes a symbol of how the post-pandemic world is littered with unpredictable hazards. Andrew's injury could have been avoided if the branch had set the trap off earlier, underscoring the role of chance.

Memory and narrative: Andrew's fantasy of an afterlife movie theater frames his life as a story he can review. This motif suggests that memory and meaning-making are vital to his will to live. The pandemic is glossed over, and the focus is on the specific incident that now threatens him.

Isolation and the remnants of the old world: The cabin and garden gnome represent the domestic life that has vanished. The gnome, sitting as if waiting, may symbolize the persistence of hope or the eerie stillness left behind. Andrew's hope for food and shelter inside the cabin shows his clinging to the comforts of the past.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 1 introduces the protagonist and the immediate conflict — Andrew's injury and lost state. It sets the tone for the novel: a blend of dark humor, vulnerability, and gritty survival. The discovery of the cabin provides a natural hook into the next chapter, raising questions about what or who Andrew will find inside. It also establishes key themes (survival, memory, isolation) that will recur throughout the story.

Study Questions and Answers

What does Andrew hope to experience in the afterlife?
He hopes for a movie theater where he can watch the sequence of events that led to his current situation, while eating Sour Patch Kids and butter-flavored popcorn.
How did Andrew free himself from the bear trap?
He tied down the metal catches using T-shirts from his pack and used a branch that had previously fallen on the trap without setting it off to pry the jaws open.
What detail about the garden gnome makes it seem suspicious to Andrew?
The gnome is not covered by leaves, as if it had recently been cleaned or moved, which contrasts with the overall disuse of the cabin.