View a FREE sample

Essay Topic 1

Why does the author use past tense to tell this story? What purpose does it serve? Does it add to or detract from the story? Would the story work if told in any other tense?

Essay Topic 2

Describe compassion as a motif of Shadow & Claw. In what instances do we see compassion in the novel? Who shows compassion? Does compassion seem to be a strange motif given the nature of Severian's profession? Did the author chose to make Severian a compassionate man?

Essay Topic 3

What does the graveyard scene at the beginning of the book foreshadow? How does the author use the scene to hint at events yet to come? Is this instance of foreshadowing effective? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 4

Why is there so much fear in Shadow & Claw? What purpose does fear felt by the characters serve? In what ways does fear drive...

(read more Essay Topics)

This section contains 754 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample