These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the novel.

Pre-Reading “Icebreaker”

Many books are at least partly about the difference between Good and Evil. But how do you know what actions are “good” and what actions are “evil”? Why do you think that different people have different definitions of “good” and “evil”? What do you think causes some people to choose to do evil while others choose to do good? How much do a person’s intentions matter? What are some situations where an action might be both good and evil?

Teaching Suggestion: These questions are intended to challenge students to think about the larger philosophical ideas of Good Versus Bad and Evil. This will give them a chance to examine their own thinking before encountering the author’s ideas on the subject. If you think your students might have difficulty getting started with broad questions such as these, however, you might prompt their thinking by asking first about specific situations—for example, is a parent who jerks a child by the arm in order to pull them from the path of an oncoming car the same as a parent who jerks a child by the arm because the parent is angry? What might be considered both “good” and “evil” about war?