WIZARD OF EARTHSEA
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Answer on your own paper, taking notes as we discuss these.
Number work carefully.
NAME _________________________
CHAPTER 1-"Warriors in the Mist"
1.) The Island of Gont is famous for producing what?
2.) An ARCHIPELAGO is defined as a sea dotted with islands. What is the name of the archipelago in this book?
3.) The main character of Wizard of Earthsea has three names. What are they?
4.) The main character's mother dies before he was one year old. Who was responsible for raising him?
5.) What was Duny's first spell? Who did he learn it from and how old was he when he learned it?
6.) Name the four great lands of the Kargad Empire? Find them on the map in your book!
7.) What bloodthirsty people invaded Gont?
8.) Explain how Duny saved the village.
9.) What happened to him as a result of his actions?
10.) What is the significance of a true name in Wizard of Earthsea ?
11.) Who healed Duny and gave him his true name?
What was his true name? How old was he when he received it?
12.) What did Duny take with him when he left Ten Alders? Where was he going?
CHAPTER 2- "The Shadow"
1.) How did Ged imagine he and Ogion would travel to Re Albi?
2.) According to Ogion, "Manhood is ________________. Mastery is _________________________."
3.) Ogion says, "To hear, one must be silent." on page 18. What is he trying to teach Ged on Pages 17-18?
4.) In what season do Ged and Ogion arrive at Ogion's house in Re Albi?
5.) Describe Ogion's house.
6.) In the dark warmth of Ogion's house Ged spent the season learning what?
7.) Hardic has no more magic power than any other language of the archipelago, but it is important because it has
its roots in ____________________. Why is this root language important?
8.) What was Ged doing when he met the daughter of the old Lord of Re Albi?
9.) What did she ask him to do (there is more than one thing)?
10.) In the scenes that take place between Ged and the daughter of the old Lord of Re albi we see a quality in Ged
that may prove to be a weakness later in life. What attribute does Ged reveal?
11.) While looking for a spell of self-transformation Ged stumbles upon a different spell. What type of spell did
Ged find and read?
12.) Who dispelled the spell?
13.) What did Ged feel when he read the spell? What did he notice by the door?
14.) After this incident Ogion tells Ged that every act of their art must be done for either
15.) What choice must Ged make on page 24? What did he choose?
16.) What was the name of the ship that was to take Ged from Gont to Roke Island?
17.) Describe the route they followed from Gont To Roke. Find these places on the map.
18.) Even though Ged knows no spells to save the ship from the storm, he proves himself useful. What did he do
and ultimately, what did he see that helped the ship and its crew to safety?
CHAPTER 3-"The School for Wizards"
1.) Ged asked the first townsman he met in Thwil for directions to The School for Wizards. What reply did Ged
receive? What did it mean?
2.) What response did Ged receive from the woman he asked?
3.) What unusual thing happened when Ged finally found the school and tried to enter?
4.) It seemed to Ged that something followed him into the school. What was it?
5.) How did the entrance change in appearance from the outside to the inside?
6.) Who is the Archmage, the Warder of Roke? Describe him.
7.) What did Ogion's letter say? What is Ogion's rune?
8.) What did the Raven of Osskill say to Ged?
1
9.) Who gave Ged his tour of the school?
10.) What unusual feature did the dining room of the school possess?
11.) Describe Vetch.
12.) What was unusual about The Immanent Grove?
13.) What is the name of the place where all spells are strong, the place whose roots go down to the center of the
earth? What does Jasper challenge Ged to do there?
14.) How many grey-cloaked masters of Roke are there?
What does each of the following teach?
The Master Chanter:
The Master Windkey:
The Master Herbal:
The Master Hand:
15.) Describe Ged's progress in his first month of study.
16.) Re-read The Master Hand's speech to Ged about illusions on pg. 43-44. He is saying that power without
knowledge (wisdom) will result in peril. He speaks of a balance in the world. What is this balance called, and what
is it a balance between?
17.) Explain the relationship developing between Ged and Jasper.
18.) That winter, Ged went to study with The Master Namer at the Isolate Tower on the north end of the island.
What did he learn there? The Master Namer was "called by a name that had no meaning in any language." What
was it?
19.) What language do the dragons speak?
20.) What is the true name in the Old Speech of the foam on the waves?
21.) Why would it be nearly impossible for a mage-seamaster to lay a spell of storm or calm over all the ocean?
22.) When Ged awoke after sleeping in the rain, what did he find sheltered in the folds of his cloak? What was its
true name in Old Speech?
23.) What two companions of Ged's had been made sorcerers while he was gone?
24.) Describe Jasper's illusion at the end of chapter 3.
CHAPTER 4-"The Loosing of the Shadow"
1.) How did the Masters of Roke feel about the progress Ged was making at Roke?
2.) At fifteen, Ged was learning so fast that the Master Changer began teaching him apart from the other students.
What things did he teach Ged? Did the Archmage know about this?
3.) What did the Master Summoner teach?
4.) Why does a true wizard only use spells controlling earthly forces in times of need?
5.) What event happens once every 52 years? Describe the celebration.
6.) How was Jasper acting at the party?
7.) To what forbidden act does Ged challenge Jasper?
8.) Where do Ged and Jasper go for their contest?
9.) Jasper tells Ged to "...Summon a spirit from the dead" for all he cares, and Ged agrees. This angers Jasper who,
at first, doesn't believe Ged can do it. Whose spirit does Ged say he will summon?
10.) Describe the thing that came out of the spell and attacked Ged.
11.) Who appeared and saved Ged? What happened to him as a result (the guy who appeared)?
12.) How did the other Masters of Roke know what was happening on Roke Knoll?
13.) Who was chosen as the new Archmage?
14.) How long did Ged's recovery take?
15.) Why would the Archmage not let Ged leave Roke even if he had wanted to?
16.) What is a Gebbeth?
17.) According to Gensher, why did Ged's spell get out of control?
18.) The night before Ged left for the Isolate Tower Vetch came to visit him. What did he bring to Ged? What
conversation did they have? What sign of trust did they exchange?
19.) How old was Ged the night before he left for the Isolate Tower?
20.) In what book did Ged find a story in which something similar to the shadow he loosed on Roke Knoll came
from the realm of the dead and controlled an ancient Dragonlord?
21.) What were the Masters of the school able to tell Ged about the shadow (several different things)?
22.) What did the Master Summoner tell Ged about being a mage and gaining power and knowledge?
2
23.) How old was Ged when he went to study in the Immanent Grove with the Master Patterner?
24.) How was Ged to win his freedom from the school?
25.) Where was Ged bound when he left Roke? Find it on your map.
CHAPTER 5--"The Dragon of Pendor"
1.) Where are the Ninety Isles? How many islands are in the Ninety Isles?
2.) Describe life in the Ninety Isles. On what is the economy based?
3.) How did the town leaders of Low Torning feel about having a new wizard come to town? How did they prepare
for his arrival? How did they describe him to their friends and family?
4.) What was the concern around the Ninety Isles that caused them to seek the assistance as a wizard instead of a
mere village witch or sorcerer?
5.) Why did Ged accept the boring assignment in the Ninety Isles?
6.) What does Lord Gensher say about the path that Ged must follow?
7.) How did Ged's childhood prepare him for his assignment at Low Torning?
8.) What was Ged's friend's name (the boatmaker)? What type of spell(s) did Ged put the on boatmaker's son's
boat? What did the boatmaker teach Ged?
9.) Ged sent his own spirit out after the dying spirit of Ioeth, Pechvarry's son. Describe what happens to him when
he realizes he has followed the boy too far into death.
10.) What brought Ged back from death? What did this experience teach Ged about living creatures?
11.) Why did Ged awake from his near death experience feeling fear?
12.) Why did Ged decide to go out and face the Dragon of Pendor rather than wait for it to attack the Ninety Isles?
13.) What is a mage-wind? What is it for?
14.) How did Ged defeat the first three small dragons he encountered in Pendor?
15.) How did Ged defeat the next three dragons?
16.) What is the difference between the use of Old Speech for men and its use for dragons?
17.) What does the dragon know about Ged that surprises and scares him a little? What does the dragon offer to tell
Ged?
18.) The Archmage told Ged the shadow had no name, yet the dragon says it does. Why is Ged inclined to believe
the dragon?
19.) How did Ged know the dragon's name? What was it? What if he had been wrong?
20.) With what does the dragon tempt Ged (there are two things)?
21.) What does Ged make the dragon promise?
CHAPTER 6- "Hunted"
1.) Where does Ged decide to go at the beginning of chapter 6? Why?
2.) How did the "Head Isle-Man" know Ged was telling the truth about the Dragon of Pendor?
3.) What song did the chanters of the Ninety Isles compose about Ged's deeds?
4.) Explain What happens when Ged tries to sail to Roke? Why?
5.) Where does he decide to go instead?
6.) What does the man in grey tell Ged?
7.) Where is the Court of Terrenon?
8.) What job does Ged have to take to earn passage on the ship?
9.) What name did Ged go by on the ship?
10.) Who was Skiorh?
11.) Describe Ged's encounter with Skiorh on the Keksemt Moor. How did he survive? What forces combined to
save his life?
CHAPTER 7- "The Hawk's Flight"
1.) Describe Ged's Room in the keep and the clothes he was given to wear. How does this affect Ged's attitude?
What troubles Ged at the beginning of the chapter?
2.) Characterize Serret and Lord Benderesk. Describe their dominion. What does Ged observe about their
relationship to each other?
3.) Discuss Serret's attempt to manipulate Ged. What does she tell him about the stone and his special relationship
to it? Why does she seem so anxious for Ged to involve himself with the stone?
4.) Describe Serret's final attempt to get Ged to touch the stone on pages 117-118. What part does Bendersek play?
3
5.) How does Ged avoid the power of the stone? What happens to Ged when he finally realizes what the two of
them are trying to do to him? Why can't the stone get Ged into its power?
6.) Describe the action once Ged comes into his wizard power again. How do he and Serret escape? What does
Ged find just beyond the gate? How do the two react to the "botched beasts" of stone?
7.) Describe Ged's flight as a pilgrim falcon. What part did Ogion play in Ged's transformation and return to human
form? What advice does Ogion give Ged at the end of the chapter?
CHAPTER 8- "Hunting"
1.) Why did Ged have to buy a boat in Ch. 8? What price did he pay for his new boat?
2.) Which direction did he go? Why did he hope to meet the shadow over the sea?
3.) How did Ged imagine he would put an end to the evil he had loosed?
4.) What happened when Ged chased the shadow? How did the chase end?
5.) Describe the people Ged met on the island. What language did they speak? Who did Ged believe these people
might be?
6.) Why did the man refuse to leave the island?
7.) Why didn't Ged sleep on the boat at night?
8.) Describe Ged's second encounter with the shadow in Ch. 8.
9.) Where did Ged stop to rest?
CHAPTER 9- "Iffish"
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
5.)
6.)
7.)
8.)
What price did Ged pay for his new boat in Ch. 9? What did he name his new boat?
How did the people of Vemish treat Ged? Why did they want him to leave?
Where did he stop next? Who did he meet there? How did his friend treat him at first when they met? Why?
What is Vetch's sister's name? What type of pet did she have? Describe the house where Vetch lives.
Why does Vetch think he should go with Ged?
What happened to Jasper?
What happens to power the farther you get from the Inner Lands?
What conversation does Ged have with Yarrow and Murre?
CHAPTER 10- "The Open Sea"
1.) How long did it take Ged and Vetch to reach Sodders Island?
What islands lie south of Sodder's Island?
2.) What is Yarrow's True Name?
3.) What is the dark axis of the year called?
4.) What was wrong with the Sorcerer of Pelimer?
5.) What words of Ogion does Ged keep remembering in Ch. 10?
6.) What land lies beyond Astowell?
7.) Describe the illusion they encounter in the open sea.
8.) What shapes did the shadow take in the final encounter?
9.) What word did the shadow and Ged say at the same time?
10.) Explain how Ged was made free from the power of the shadow.
* Discuss balance or Equilibrium, as it is described by Ogion, by the Master Summoner, and as it occurs in Ch. 9.
* Explain the quote, “His task had never been to undo what he had done, but to finish what he had begun.”
4