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Holly Angelo
The antagonist of the novel, Captain Shek is a high-ranking official in the Chinese military. He patrols Everest, making sure everyone has the correct identification documents and paperwork and listening in on radio transmissions, and he’s known for pulling people’s climbing permits with little or no provocation. Despite Josh and Zopa’s attempts to keep it a secret, Captain Shek learns that both Peak and Sun-jo would like to try for Everest’s summit—and he seems to know that Sun-jo is Tibetan and is traveling with forged papers. He thus leads soldiers on a hunt for Sun-jo, pursuing the boys nearly all the way to the top of the mountain. Shek’s main goals are lording his power over others and making his points, even if doing so hurts other people or puts them in danger; for instance, he insists on riding in the rescue helicopter, thereby taking a spot that could’ve gone to a sick or injured climber.
Captain Shek Quotes in Peak
The Peak quotes below are all either spoken by Captain Shek or refer to Captain Shek. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 19 Quotes
In a strange way the conversation helped to center me. It reminded me that climbing, even though there might be other people in your party, is a solo sport. Your legs, your arms, your muscles, your endurance, your will are yours alone. A partner can encourage you, maybe even stop you from falling, but they can’t get you to the top. That’s entirely up to you.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Peak LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Captain Shek Character Timeline in Peak
The timeline below shows where the character Captain Shek appears in Peak. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 11
...staying to work. Just then, a jeep skids into camp and a Chinese officer, Captain Shek, gets out and demands everyone’s papers. Yogi, Yash, and Sun-jo have mysteriously disappeared; they don’t...
(full context)
Chapter 16
...Peak shares with readers that up here, anyone can listen in on the radio—so Captain Shek is probably always listening.
(full context)
Chapter 18
...to guide him. Josh notes that Sun-jo is in a lot of danger from Captain Shek; he’d be imprisoned if Shek caught him. Thaddeus is just upset that Zopa is jeopardizing...
(full context)
Chapter 19
...and Sun-jo will pretend to be a porter most of the way to evade Captain Shek and imprisonment. Josh will lead the A team, and Peak is disappointed he won’t summit...
(full context)
...to learn that Holly is taking care of Sun-jo while he’s sick so that Captain Shek doesn’t get suspicious if he notices Dr. Krieger caring for a porter. Then, JR shows...
(full context)
Chapter 20
...will slow him down, and it seems like Zopa is out to get him. Captain Shek, dressed in climbing gear, sneaks up on Peak and asks if he’s trying for the...
(full context)
...camp when Peak arrives: he hid under hay on Gulu’s yak’s back, and given Captain Shek’s apparent vendetta against him, he’ll have to continue up the mountain this way. Peak is...
(full context)
Knowing Captain Shek is listening in on radio transmissions, Josh and Zopa discuss that Sun-jo left the mountain...
(full context)
Chapter 21
...a trip to Camp Four but can only carry four passengers in addition to Captain Shek, who’s still looking for Sun-jo. Knowing Captain Shek is listening, Zopa insists again that Sun-jo...
(full context)
...enough to climb down to Base Camp, along with Sun-jo (to protect him from Captain Shek). Peak offers to stay and help with the climbers coming down. One climber with HAPE...
(full context)
Chapter 22
...for the summit. He also shares that once the porters and Sherpas heard about Captain Shek arresting Zopa, they assembled outside Shek’s headquarters and Shek was forced to let Zopa go....
(full context)
Chapter 23
...prayer flag with his mountain tag and visualizing leaving it at the summit’s flagpole. Captain Shek lurks around Base Camp.
(full context)
Chapter 24
...to the summit along a different route. Now, Josh’s clients will be happy, and Captain Shek will stop looking for Sun-jo. Peak is happy to climb, but he still feels like...
(full context)
Chapter 25
...climb tomorrow. That evening, they listen to the radio. Josh tells another climber about how Shek detained Gulu and is sending crews up to higher camps to search for Sun-jo. Sun-jo...
(full context)
Later, Peak’s group listens to the radio as Josh describes the Chinese climbers Captain Shek is sending up. They’re checking papers and will likely summit—they’re already acclimated. Hearing this, Zopa,...
(full context)
Chapter 26
...days, when the weather will clear. Zopa insists he’ll be fine, since the worst Captain Shek can do is deport him to Nepal. But the boys must continue, and Sun-jo has...
(full context)
Chapter 29
...Four and Zopa. When they arrive, a Chinese soldier confronts them and then calls Captain Shek on the radio. He hands Peak the radio, and Shek interrogates Peak about what he’s...
(full context)
...soldier escorts wake up and arrive at ABC to angry soldiers and an angry Captain Shek on the radio. At Camp Two, Peak runs into Josh and his clients. Away from...
(full context)
At Base Camp, Captain Shek searches Peak’s pack and then records Peak’s answers to his questions. Shek confiscates the camera,...
(full context)
