The House with Chicken Legs

Explore the connection between traditional Slavic lore surrounding Baba Yaga and Sophie Anderson’s representations of the Yaga figure. How do elements of good and evil, light and dark, life and death play into both the originating tale and Anderson’s interpretation?

Compare and contrast The House with Chicken Legs to Anderson’s other titles. What thematic, formal, and narrative crossovers do you notice between The House with Chicken Legs and The Girl Who Speaks Bear, The Castle of Tangled Magic, and/or The Thief Who Sang Storms?

Analyze Marinka’s story through a coming-of-age lens. How and why does Marinka grow and change over the course of the novel? How might her journey toward self-acceptance be a metaphor for transitioning from childhood to adulthood?

Explore how Anderson uses imagery and symbolism to convey Marinka’s Search for Friendship and Belonging. For example, how do references to the house, the natural world, or Marinka’s clothes convey her internal experience?

Compare and contrast Marinka’s relationship with Baba to her relationship with the Old Yaga. How do the women impact her differently and similarly? Do they play different roles in her life, and how does befriending the Old Yaga contribute to Marinka’s acceptance journey?

Analyze Marinka’s interpersonal relationships and their effect on her character arc. How do her dynamics with Benjamin, Nina, Salma, Lamya, and the Old Yaga influence her in different ways, what do they teach her, and how does she change because of each character?

Explore the relationship between the novel’s micro and macro settings and the novel’s mood. How does the house and each place it travels relate to Marinka’s internal experience, outlook on life, and concept of the future? Are these settings metaphors for Marinka’s emotions?

Craft an argument that supports or refutes the following claim: Marinka’s actions throughout the novel are dictated by her fear and anger. Consider how Marinka responds to major conflicts or life events, and how her responses drive the narrative action. Include textual support.