Varjak Paw

Analyze the novel through a geographical lens. How does setting the novel in London impact the structure, mood, and themes? Cite specific evidence in your response.

What is the symbolic significance of the cats’ collars? How does this symbol deepen the differences between Varjak and his relatives and between the street cats and the mechanical toys that the Gentleman makes?

In what ways does Varjak’s arc contribute to the novel’s thematic engagement with The Impact of Heritage on Personal Development? How do Jalal and his living relatives offer him differing definitions of what it means to be a Mesopotamian Blue? By the end of the novel, how has Varjak’s understanding of his identity changed?

How does Varjak and Holly’s relationship evolve during the story? How does this bond support the theme of The Power of Friendship and Loyalty?

Throughout the novel, Said utilizes a range of literary devices, including onomatopoeia, imagery, and similes. How does the author’s usage of these techniques add to the story’s suspense, mood, and meaning? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Much of the novel focuses on Varjak’s acquisition of the Seven Skills of the Way of Jalal. How does the Way contribute to the story’s structure, themes, and overall meaning?

Select two of the novel’s supporting characters and compare and contrast their responses to adversity. What do their responses reveal about their characterization and the theme of Courage in the Face of Challenges?

Compare and contrast Varjak Paw with other children’s adventure and coming-of-age stories with animal protagonists, such as E. B. White’s Stuart Little or Richard Adams’s Watership Down. How do the authors anthropomorphize the animal characters or utilize their unique animal traits and skills? What common themes can you identify among these texts?