Discussion Questions
Summer Reading List
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Discussion Questions for Parents
The Chronicles of Narnia
C.S. Lewis
The Magician’s Nephew
1.
Uncle Andrew believes that certain people, because of
their superior intelligence, do not have to follow the
same rules that ordinary people must. At least one other
person in the story thinks the same thing. Using
examples from the book, discuss this question and
whether you agree with it or not.
2. Discuss what happened to end the world of Charn? Why
did it happen? Is there any similar threat in our own
world?
3.
What did Digory do that he regretted afterwards? Who did his deed affect and how? How did he
right that wrong? What is the significance of the term "Son of Adam" and Digory's role in the world
of Narnia? Should Aslan be angry at Digory? Is Digory at fault for bringing evil into Aslan's new
world?
4. Discuss the founding of Narnia from the points of view of the following three characters: a) the
horse (Strawberry), b) Uncle Andrew and c) Digory.
5. Why did the witch eat the apple from the tree in the palace's garden? What effect did it have on
her? Discuss what Aslan says to Polly: "That is what happens to those who pluck and eat fruits at the
wrong time and in the wrong way. The fruit is good, but they loathe it ever after..."
6. Why does Digory not eat the fruit he picks in the walled garden? Why is it important that he brings
the fruit uneaten to Aslan?
7. What can Aslan do that Jadis cannot?
8. Is Digory a better person at the end of The Magician's Nephew than he was at the start? How has he
changed for the better or for the worse?
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
9. What connections does this book have to The Gospel?
10. Who does Aslan symbolize?
11. Discuss the temptation scene. How does this relate to sin?
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12. What is the significance of Edmund’s redemption?
13. What is the significance of Aslan’s death at the stone table?
14. Discuss the portrayal of the White Witch and the state of Narnia under her control.
Prince Caspian
15. Families can talk about the symbolism of the story.
16. What is the author trying to say about humans and government? About animals and nature? About
the environment?
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
17. Families can talk about this series. While the Narnia series stands on its own as a fantasy adventure,
it also is appreciated as an exploration of Christian themes. How do you see Christian ideas
represented here? Do you think Lewis wanted his book to speak specifically to Christians, or do you
think he wanted his stories to strike a spiritual chord with readers of other religious faiths?
The Horse and His Boy
18. Discuss the Christian themes in this novel. What moral is presented in this book?
The Silver Chair
19. Families can talk about the quest that Jill and Eustace undertake. Why did Eustace want to help his
old friend Caspian? Some of the challenges the children faced were choosing whom to trust, keeping
promises at great personal sacrifice, and staying alert to the world around them -- have you ever
been faced with any of these challenges? Also, the Narnia books contain many allusions to
Christianity that could generate discussion, such as who Aslan is meant to represent.
The Last Battle
20. What is the theme of this book? What connections does this book have to the Bible? How do you
feel about the ending of this series?
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Of Mice and Men
John Steinback
1. Families can talk about the values of friendship and loyalty
and how they can be tested in times of economic hardship.
2. As a child, Lennie suffered some kind brain injury that
impeded his intellectual development. How has society's
treatment of the mentally disabled changed over the
decades?
3. Lennie and George dream of owning a farm of their own,
one where Lennie can take care of the rabbits. What kinds of
dreams of the future do people have today? What are some
of the obstacles they might encounter in trying to achieve
them?
4. Discuss the moral implications of George’s actions at the
end of the novel. From a Christian perspective, was what he
did the right thing? Why or why not?
The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan
1.Families can talk about how Chinese history (circa 1920s to
1940s) affected the lives of the Chinese mothers, and how
they raised their American-born daughters. How did the
experiences your parents had influenced the way they raised
you?
2. Reconciling two different cultures can be challenging for
the children of immigrants. Do you have any personal
experience with this issue? How do you think a person can
find harmony between the culture of your family heritage and
the culture of the place you’re living in?
3. Mother-daughter relationships can be fraught with tension and strong bonds. Do any of the conflicts in
the book sound familiar to you?
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4. The Joy Luck Club is often required reading in high school.
Why do you think that is?
Purple Hibiscus
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
1. Religion: Religion was used as a mask for Kambili's family
to hide behind (e.g., “her father is such a good man, wellloved, pious; he couldn’t possibly be an abuser”). Over the
course of the book, Kambili’s relationship with her family and
religion changes due to her interactions with other characters
and change in her experiences. What did you think of this
change? Did this resonate with you? That is, have there been
any experiences and people in your own life that have
significantly changed how you feel about something important
to you? (It doesn’t have to be religion, but it can be.)
2. Public/Private Dichotomy in Purple Hibiscus: There was a
significant discrepancy between the Kambili’s father’s public image and the abuse that he perpetuated at
home. How does Kambili’s family cope with this discrepancy? “Had Jaja forgotten that we never told,
that there was so much that we never told? When people asked, he always said his finger was ‘something’
that had happened at home. That way, it was not a lie and it let them imagine some accident, perhaps
involving a heavy door.” (154) What advice would you give someone coping with a similar situation?
How can we as community members break down the barriers around domestic violence to reduce the
stigma and encourage healthy dialogue? How can we create a supportive community for abuse victims?
Fahrenheit 451
Ray Bradbury
1. Families can talk about why people feel the need to censor -- or even burn -- books. Are there recent
examples of this behavior in the United States or elsewhere?
Discussion Questions
Summer Reading List
2. Ray Bradbury has said that the novel is less about censorship and more about the effects of television
on our society. What aspects of Fahrenheit 451 support this interpretation?
3. Did the threat of war mean something different to Bradbury's audience when the novel was first
published in 1953?
4. Why do you think attempts are made to ban Fahrenheit 451 from schools and libraries?
5. Discuss the symbolism in the book. How does this apply to the way we read and live out the Word of
God?
The Book Thief
Marcus Zusak
1. Liesel steals books that the Nazis have banned or tried to
burn. Why were the Nazis concerned about book content? Is it
ever appropriate to ban a book?
2. Discuss the character of death. How do you feel about the
attitude towards death at the end of the novel?
3. In what ways did Leisel and her family show the love of
Christ during WWII?
4. Why is it usually good to obey the law, and when is it
important to disobey governing authorities?
I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzai
1. Families can talk about why Malala thinks education is so
important. Do you agree? How would you react if you weren't
allowed to go to school? Why do you think the Taliban are so
opposed to people getting an education?
2. What’s it like to read a memoir of a teenager? How is it
different from a memoir of someone who's lived a long life?
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Discussion Questions
Summer Reading List
How does I Am Malala compare with other autobiographies you've read?
3. How would you feel if you had to leave your home and everyone you knew because it wasn't safe for
you to stay? Do you know anyone who's come from a situation like this?
4. How does this help you have compassion towards non-Christian people in the Middle East?
The Chosen
Chaim Potok
1. How does Potok weave together personal and political events
in his novel? How do politics and world events contribute to the
novel’s plot and character development? Discuss the meaning of
the novel’s title. Who or what is chosen in the book? Which is
more desirable: to be chosen or to make a choice?
2. Many critics have written that The Chosen is a distinctly
American novel. They argue that the novel’s plot is centered on
the concept of the American dream, the ideal that anyone can
have the opportunity to become anything. Do you agree or
disagree with this analysis? Could the novel take place in
another setting?
3. Discuss Judaism in The Chosen. Why are there no important
non-Jewish characters? Why is the novel restricted to a Jewish environment?
4. In The Chosen, every character, event, action, and idea seems to have a parallel, an opposite, or a
complement. Identify several such relationships, and explain the purpose they serve in the novel.
5. Why do you think Potok chose to tell the story from Reuven’s point of view? What narrative
advantages does Reuven have over Danny? What advantages does Reuven’s limited first-person
perspective have over an omniscient third-person perspective?
6. Compare Reb Saunders’s political ideology to David Malter’s. At times, each father feels threatened
by the other’s views. At other times, each father displays strong respect for the other. How are the two
men different from one another, and how are they are similar? How can they both dislike and respect
one another at the same time?
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Discussion Questions
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1984
George Orwell
1. Families can talk about how being constantly watched and
listened to affects how people conduct their lives and what it
does to their mental states. How does this connect with the way
we are so plugged in to social media these days?
2. 1984 is an inversion of 1948, the year in which Orwell began
writing the novel. What historic events were happening in the
world at that time, and how might they have influenced the
construction of1984? Is the future Orwell imagines completely
made up, or is it based on real-life situations? Have things turned
out the way he predicted at all?
3. Three slogans adorn the entrance to the Ministry of Truth:
WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS
STRENGTH. How is it possible for anyone to believe such
paradoxical statements? What does the Gospel say about peace,
freedom, and strength?
4. Discuss the way that violence and sexuality are viewed in the novel. Is this healthy or unhealthy? Why?
Brown Girl Dreaming
Jaqueline Woodson
1. Families can talk about the importance of a family's history when
kids are growing up. How does your family's influence on you
differ from those of your peers?
2. Families also can talk about the civil rights marches of the
1960s and similar events happening in the U.S. today, including the
protests in Ferguson, Missouri. What has changed since the 1960s?
What has not? How can your family strive to reject racism and
work towards racial reconciliation?
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3. Finally, families can talk about the importance of finding what each of us, as individuals, does well.
Jacqueline found her voice as a writer despite her reading difficulties. What do you do well? How do you
best demonstrate your thoughts and feelings?
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
1. How is Gatsby portrayed in this book? What is he seeking after?
Is his pursuit fruitful or fruitless? Why?
2. Discuss the “roaring 20s”. Why did people live wild and free
during this time? How did this lifestyle lead to distruction?
3. What is Fitzgerald saying about the American Dream in this
novel?
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain
1. Families can talk about the book's racist characters. Why
did Twain put them there? Did he agree with what they're
saying? How have feelings about the "N"-word (and other
words used here) changed since Mark Twain's day?
2. Is Huck a racist? Why does he believe he'll go to hell for
doing what we now consider the right thing? Why does he
do it if he thinks it's wrong?
3. What do you, the reader, understand in this story that
Huck doesn't understand? How does Twain use Huck to
convey his messages? What are those messages?
4. Why do you think so many people consider this to be a
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great work of American literature? What do you think of the final section, when Tom reappears
in the story? Does it fit with the rest of the book? Why or why not?
Cry, The Beloved Country
Alan Patton
1. How is Cry, the Beloved Country part story, part prophecy,
and part psalm? How does the story resemble the biblical
parable of the prodigal son? How does it mirror another biblical
parable, Absalom? What is the significance of Kumalo's son
being named Absalom? Where else does the Bible influence the
story?
2. There are many paradoxes in this novel: a priest's son
commits murder; a white man who fights for the dignity of
South African blacks is senselessly murdered; the father of the
murdered son helps the father of the son who murdered to
keep a disintegrating native tribe together. How do you
reconcile these paradoxes? How do they contribute to the
richness of the story? Why might Paton have made this choice?
3. Msimangu says, "I see only one hope for our country, and
that is when white men and black men, desiring neither power
or money, but desiring only the good of their country, come together to work for it." The book was
written in 1948. Some forty-odd years later, has Msimangu's prophecy come to pass? If so, in what
ways? If not, why?
4. How does apartheid manifest itself in Cry, the Beloved Country? Describe or characterize the separate
worlds inhabited by blacks and whites. Where do black and white lives touch?