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Reading Guide
The People of Sparks
by Jeanne DuPrau
THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS
Discussion Questions
1. The main characters of The City of Ember and The People of Sparks have nontraditional family structures. How do the main characters acclimate to their unconventional families in the towns of Ember and Sparks? How do their family relationships change from one book to the next? How does the absence of a mother affect both Doon and Lina? Both Doon and Lina are very responsible young people. How are their responsible dispositions related to their family roles?
2. Lina and Doon share a friendship in both novels, and Doon attempts a friendship with Tick in The People of Sparks. Lina and Doon recognize positive and negative qualities in their friendships, a key aspect of accepting someone as your friend. How do Lina and Doon perceive their friendships? What personality traits do they admire in one another and in Tick? What qualities do they find troublesome in each other and in Tick? What traits do you admire in your own best friends?
3. Both novels are set in a post apocalyptic world. Ember is a last refuge for the human race and Sparks is a post-disaster society starting over. What are the lasting effects of war on both societies? What is the author?s message to readers? Imagine a world where technology and abundant resources no longer exist. How would your lives be altered?
4. What are some incidents of greed by both townspeople and politicians as the characters progress from one novel to the next? What is the ultimate message about greed in both novels? What is the message about humankind and war? What is the author trying to say about corruption and power? Are the events of these novels a realistic reflection of human nature?
5. Discuss the role of community leadership in both novels and whether the leaders acted as good role models. Which characters provided true leadership for the towns? When times were tough, how did the leaders of Ember and Sparks provide for the citizens fairly?
Prepared by Jennifer L. Hart, International Baccalaureate Coordinator, Thomas Jefferson High School, Richmond, Virginia.
Discussion Questions
1. The main characters of The City of Ember and The People of Sparks have nontraditional family structures. How do the main characters acclimate to their unconventional families in the towns of Ember and Sparks? How do their family relationships change from one book to the next? How does the absence of a mother affect both Doon and Lina? Both Doon and Lina are very responsible young people. How are their responsible dispositions related to their family roles?
2. Lina and Doon share a friendship in both novels, and Doon attempts a friendship with Tick in The People of Sparks. Lina and Doon recognize positive and negative qualities in their friendships, a key aspect of accepting someone as your friend. How do Lina and Doon perceive their friendships? What personality traits do they admire in one another and in Tick? What qualities do they find troublesome in each other and in Tick? What traits do you admire in your own best friends?
3. Both novels are set in a post apocalyptic world. Ember is a last refuge for the human race and Sparks is a post-disaster society starting over. What are the lasting effects of war on both societies? What is the author?s message to readers? Imagine a world where technology and abundant resources no longer exist. How would your lives be altered?
4. What are some incidents of greed by both townspeople and politicians as the characters progress from one novel to the next? What is the ultimate message about greed in both novels? What is the message about humankind and war? What is the author trying to say about corruption and power? Are the events of these novels a realistic reflection of human nature?
5. Discuss the role of community leadership in both novels and whether the leaders acted as good role models. Which characters provided true leadership for the towns? When times were tough, how did the leaders of Ember and Sparks provide for the citizens fairly?
Prepared by Jennifer L. Hart, International Baccalaureate Coordinator, Thomas Jefferson High School, Richmond, Virginia.
Copyright © 2008 by Random House. All rights reserved.
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