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. Superheroes come from all sorts of backgrounds, but specific traits mark them as superheroes. What is a superhero to you? How does a superhero act, and what does a superhero believe in? How does a superhero influence the world?

Teaching Suggestion: Students will likely be familiar with common superheroes like Spiderman or Batman. While they are welcome to use these as prototypes, encourage them to consider what other forms a superhero might take. Two of the novel’s themes, Becoming Illuminated and The Possibility of the Impossible can be used to guide students’ responses if desired.

• “Chinese Female Kung-Fu Superheroes” - Teresa Mei Chuc’s poem praises unlikely, real-life superheroes.

2. Flora and Ulysses deals with family issues such as divorce, family conflict and separation, and feeling unable to relate to one’s family. What can happen to families when these issues go unaddressed? How can families who are having trouble communicating learn to open up to each other again?

Teaching Suggestion: This question helps prepare students for some of the novel’s subject matter while allowing them to think about family issues from the perspective of consequences and solutions.