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. What is a dystopia? Can you brainstorm examples of dystopias? What about other dystopian novels?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might be familiar with images of post-apocalyptic dystopias but may not necessarily think of novels like Our Missing Hearts or Fahrenheit 451, which tell us more about society. Introducing students to this genre will not only help them to understand the setting of Ng’s novel, but it will also help them to understand the ways in which control is exerted over citizens, both actively and passively, through legislation like PACT. It will also help them to begin to understand the theme of The Dangers of Racism in Society.

• “Dystopian Novels” from the San Antonio Public Library offers a definition of the genre and includes a list of classic dystopian novels.
• “The Booker Prize guide to… dystopian fiction” includes a history of the genre, ranging from classic novels to more contemporary texts.

2. Let’s test your knowledge of historical context. Can you think of novels that touch on major historical events? What about books that respond to the culture of their time? How do these novels address modern issues?