The Sleeper and the Spindle

Consider the use of monochromism in the artwork, particularly in the distinctive full-page drawing on Pages 50-51. How does the illustrator use light, shadow, and contrast to enhance the story’s themes?

The story incorporates two impenetrable boundaries: the mountain range and the wall of thorns. How are these two thresholds similar, and how are they different? How does each one enhance the story’s world and contribute to its thematic exploration of Freedom and Constraint?

Consider the motifs within the full-page illustration on Pages 12-13: skulls, a wedding dress, and a discarded suit of armor. What does this drawing communicate about the character of the queen? Why do you think the creative team chose to introduce this character visually before introducing her narratively?

The story implies that the queen has a prince waiting for her, and that their wedding is imminent. However, the prince is never directly seen or heard. Why do you think the author made this choice? Does the absence of this character detract from the story, or enhance it? How does the choice contribute to the author’s Inversion of Gender Dynamics?

When asked how the princess can be woken, a townsperson replies, “The usual method” (16). What does this reveal about storytelling and belief within this community?

Why do you think the queen is more resistant to the sleeping sickness than other humans? Is this defense physiological, psychological, or something else? Use specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Throughout the story, the only narrative elements that are given concrete names are places: Dorimar, Kanselaire, Acaire, Foxen’s Inn. How does this specificity of place enhance or affect your reading of the story?

The first visual depiction of the enchantress is of a young, peaceful maiden, while her companion is visually depicted as hunched, withered, and bitter. How do these drawings use genre expectations and Preconceptions of Youth and Beauty to challenge social norms?