Jurassic Park | Epilogue: San José | Summary

Summary

The Costa Rican government keeps the survivors in San José while they investigate what happened on the island. Alan Grant must tell his story to many different people. Eventually, Dr. Marty Guitierrez, the researcher who found the first specimen, comes to talk to him. He explains that there has recently been an unusual animal migration: the creatures moved in a straight line, into the mountains and jungle, and ate an odd array of foods, which Grant recognizes as "rich in lysine." The dinosaurs are eating to overcome the nutritional restrictions imposed on their independent existence.

Analysis

Reintroducing Dr. Marty Guitierrez in the Epilogue brings the novel full circle, as does the return to the mainland after the time on Isla Nublar. This helps bring closure to the narrative, and applies part of the classic hero's journey in which the hero starts in his ordinary world, travels to the extraordinary world on an adventure, and returns home in victory. When he returns home, the hero brings some kind of prize. It can be a physical reward, but it can also be an intangible one, as is the case here. Alan Grant brings back knowledge of what happens on the island, and what dinosaurs are really like.

At the same time, though, Michael Crichton moves the narrative into new territory. On the most pragmatic level, he sets up the possibility of a sequel by showing that the raptors have left the island. He also shows how dangerously intelligent the raptors are. They are smart enough to adapt their diet, taking advantage of lysine-rich foods found in the wild and thus escaping the limits the Jurassic Park scientists placed on their activity.