This is another adventure story with an exciting setting that resonates well with young high school students. James Ullman, one of the first Americans to climb Mount Everest, may have based some details in “Top Man” on George Mallory’s fateful climb up Mount Everest in 1924. Mallory was a British mountaineer who climbed Everest, although it is not known whether he reached the summit. Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man known to have ascended to Everest’s summit in 1953. The class should know that the narrator is a geologist named Frank.

The story’s setting pits men against mountain thus providing the main conflict. Ullman’s setting is Kalpurtha, a fictional mountain in the Himalayas in South Asia supposedly known as K3. The mountain, which in this story is explicitly called an antagonist, is vividly described in all its majesty and grandeur. It’s a formidable opponent.

The class should understand the topography. Ullman alerts the reader to the exact locations of the six camps, and it is from the sixth camp that only the finest mountaineers in the expedition—the Englishman Nace and the American Osborn—will make the ascent to the summit. It’s important to review the group’s ascent. When a storm dumps twelve feet of snow on the glacier, the men must wait until the snow freezes tight enough for them to advance safely up the mountain. Nace’s superb mountaineering skills are demonstrated early in the story—such as his instant reaction when a porter falls into space.

Like “To Build a Fire,” this story involves the most basic conflict, man pitted against some aspect of nature or the environment, in this case the mountain. K3, the story’s antagonist, is personified and becomes, as it were, a tangible opponent. It’s a brutal enemy against whom the men must pit their strength and expertise in an attempt to conquer it. Teenagers invariably question why men would travel thousands of miles risking their lives to tackle such a foe. Mallory’s reply is legendary: “Because it’s there.”

Even more fascinating than the conflict between men and mountain is the conflict between the two foremost mountaineers. An experienced mountaineer, Nace understands the challenge K3 presents better than the others. The class should realize that the main disagreement between Nace and Osborn involves the best route up K3. As the two men continue to climb, their personalities are clearly drawn. It’s useful for students to list differences between the two men; for example, Nace is an introvert who is prudent and self-sacrificing, whereas Osborn is an extrovert who is reckless and egotistical.

The climactic section describes Osborn’s selfish refusal to submit to Nace’s better judgment and return to base. Osborn risks other men’s lives for his own glory. When Nace sets off after Osborn, the geologist insists that he should go with Nace. (Well, of course. Someone has to tell the rest of the story.) Students should appreciate Osborn’s near fatal predicament as well as Nace’s instinctive reaction.

The epilogue recounts Osborn’s supposedly unsuccessful attempt to reach the summit. The class should understand symbolism of the axe. Students usually decide that it represents courage or sacrifice or perhaps gratitude. In any case, it is Paul Osborn’s mute tribute to Martin Nace.

Who is “top man”? A strong case can be made for either Nace or Osborn. The Englishman embodies leadership skills, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. The American climber exhibits unusual selflessness in giving the honor of conquering K3 to Nace and concealing his own achievement. Students will have strong opinions on the issue, which, by the way, presents an ideal opportunity for an essay!