A slingshot. Frank’s first catapult, which is broken in a fight with a buck, is the Black Destroyer.
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Catapult Term Timeline in The Wasp Factory
The timeline below shows where the term Catapult appears in The Wasp Factory. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: The Sacrifice Poles
Frank uses a catapult to fire a ball bearing across the river separating his island from the mainland. He...
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Chapter 2: The Snake Park
...to the Rabbit Grounds. He brings his gun, although he notes that he prefers a catapult to a gun. The catapult requires more skill and effort—it is an “Inside thing” that...
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...gnashing its teeth at him and biting his finger. Frank eventually strangles it with his catapult, although the Black Destroyer is broken in the process. Sitting back and catching his breath,...
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Satisfied that his catapult is “avenged,” Frank re-christens the hill Black Destroyer Hill. Frank has a “lovely sated feeling,”...
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Chapter 4: The Bomb Circle
Frank conducts a naming ceremony for his catapult, smearing it with “earwax, snot, blood, urine, belly-button fluff and toenail cheese.” He also crumples...
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