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. In literature, characters often grapple—literally, figuratively, and morally—with the question “What makes a monster?” In what ways might human beings be described as “monstrous”? Consider historical figures that match that term. In what ways do they portray “monstrosity”?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt will be useful in introducing the novel’s theme What Makes a Monster. Students might begin by listing characteristics of well-known “monsters” such as mummies, zombies, werewolves, vampires, and Frankenstein’s monster. After responding to the prompt, students can meet in pairs and analyze the monster characteristics they brainstormed against the historical figures they consider “monstrous” to discuss any comparisons that might be made.

• “What Is a Monster?” is an article from Cambridge University that details the various aspects of what humans may call a “monster,” whether it be a mythological creature or a human without moral values. Students might use the ideas in this resource to create a Venn diagram between the two depictions of “monsters” and incorporate specific mythological or historical individuals to analyze.