|
 Mark
your calendars! Here you'll find a reading schedule to keep you on track
while reading The True Story of Hansel and Gretel .
Please remember that this is only a guide - if you can't put the book
down, don't!
Have questions, want to voice your opinion, can't figure something
out about the book? Visit the Avid
Reader Book Club folder in the forums where an ongoing discussion
about the book will take place.
March - April
| March 28 - April 14 |
Read the opening third of the book, then visit the forums to share your thoughts so far. |
• The novel begins with the words of wise witch Magda. How is she a traditional witch? What abilities mark her as such?
• What parallels do you see emerging between Murphy's story and the original fairy tale? What differences?
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| April 15 - 23 |
Read the second third of the book. |
• The forest becomes a character in the novel, offering protection to the children, Magda, and the Partisans. How would you describe the personality of the forest?
•The step-mother is not a traditional fairy tale step-mother: she's portrayed positively and as independent. Consider the painful choices she makes in the novel - do you agree with them? Would you have acted differently? Is her fate a necessity of the fairy-tale genre? |
| April 24 - 30 |
Finish the book. Make sure to join the discussions in the forums if you haven't already! |
• Names play an important role in the novel. The children, parents and Partisans are all given new ones. Why do you think Muphy chose not to reveal the children's real names?
• How does this story allow church and magic to coexist? What does this say about the nature of spirituality for some of the characters?
• At the end of the novel, which characters do you think achieved redemption? Who got what they deserved? What do you think the future will be like for Hansel and Gretel? For the people of Piaski?
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