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

What factors often determine social stratification? What is social mobility and how does it have an impact on individuals in society?

Teaching Suggestion: Mare lives in a society divided by the color of one’s blood. Silvers have evolved to possess special abilities that enable them to wield magic in some form while Reds are on a lower social tier because of their inability to use magic. After sharing their initial responses to this question, students might work in small groups to list and discuss factors that contributed to social hierarchies at different times in history and how social stratification led to specific historical conflicts.

• This 11-minute video defines social stratification and the ways in which societies establish a social hierarchy.  
• This article from Princeton University Press provides an alternative perspective on social hierarchy, touting the benefits to society.

Short Activity

Explore the elements of dystopian literature to create a list of characteristics that are typical of the genre; include strong examples of this genre with which you are familiar.