Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. “Go forth for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world.” ―Gautama Buddha

What is the likely intended meaning of the quote? How might this sentiment be viewed culturally, religiously, politically, or societally? In what ways might this idea help society? In what ways might it be twisted for nefarious purposes?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt relates to the theme Self-Sacrifice for the Greater Good. It may help to provide context within this theme in introducing and discussing the idea; for example, students could determine a definition for “self-sacrifice” with examples and decide on a common understanding for the phrase “the greater good.” If students are working in small groups, half might examine the “pros” side of the quote and half the “cons,” which may later be discussed as a whole class.

• “Altruism” is an article and 2-minute video from the University of Texas detailing the term “altruism” with examples of social and health effects. This site also includes other resources detailing morality and human behavior that you may share with the class or have students explore individually or in pairs as they read in Ender’s Game.