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 fantasy novel? What characteristics might be evident in the subgenre of “modern” or “contemporary” fantasy? Have you read any books—or seen movies or played games—in this subgenre?

Teaching Suggestion: Students are likely to know what a fantasy novel is but may not know much about the subgenre of modern fantasy. You might encourage them to make their best guess about what the characteristics of this subgenre are before exposing them to the sources listed below or similar resources for investigation. Once students are clear on the definition of modern fantasy, they will doubtless have examples of such stories that they have read, viewed, or played and might enjoy discussing these stories with one another.

• A general overview of fantasy genres by The Editorial Department
• A thorough explanation of modern/contemporary fantasy from the Public Library Association

2. What is an allegory? Does everything in a story have to be allegorical, or can a story just have elements that are allegorical? What are some examples of allegories?