55 pages 1-hour read

Sarah Beth Durst

Spark

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2019

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Essay Topics

1.

Mina’s family believes that she has bonded erroneously with a lightning beast. Based on Mina’s experience at the Mytris Lightning School, are their concerns justifiable? Discuss two moments when Mina complicates their assumptions.

2.

Pixit is the only storm beast with a voice in the novel and that is because he has a telepathic connection with Mina. How would the narrative change if all the storm beasts spoke or if Pixit didn’t have a voice?

3.

Do you think yellow is an appropriate color for Pixit? Why or why not? Consider the symbolism of the color as you develop your answer.

4.

Choose any character in the novel, and identify their central inner conflict. How does the novel render it (plot, diction, gestures)? Do they find resolution?

5.

Considering that an antagonist doesn’t have to be an individual, who or what could be considered the antagonist in Spark? Defend your choice by showing how this antagonist causes harm.

6.

Mina matures into a strong and courageous leader. Based on her experiences, name two of her most essential leadership traits. Explain which of her actions demonstrate those traits and why they are effective.

7.

Mina is heralded as innovative because she introduces new ideas and strategies, like in the lightning relays. However, Mytris Lightning School and Alorria are grounded in tradition. What might Durst’s text suggest about the relationship between tradition and innovation?

8.

Select two characters who contribute to Mina’s growth and maturity. What do they teach her?

9.

This novel can be read as an allegory calling for people to be stewards of the natural world. Research how young people—like Greta Thunberg—have been instrumental in environmental activism in recent years. Compare and contrast their actions to those of Mina and her friends.

10.

Choose another novel, such as Lois Lowry’s The Giver, that presents how perfection and comfort depend on hidden harm. Compare and contrast it with Spark.

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