Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

What does it mean to be obedient? Is obedience always a good thing? How could obeying someone’s orders be more of a problem than a solution? Explain.

Teaching Suggestion: This question invites students to explore the novel’s central motif of obedience in relation to the themes of Magic, Romantic Love, and The Power of Family and Friendship. In Levine’s novel, the protagonist, Ella, is cursed with the power of obedience; although this was intended to be a “gift” from a fairy godmother, the reality is that people can force Ella to do whatever they please. As a result, Ella learns that obedience is not necessarily a positive attribute, as it robs her of her own interests, power, and agency. Despite these obstacles, Ella is a strong and independent protagonist who finds her own ways to rebel. The second resource may be used either in tandem with this question or with the Paired Text Extension to the main Activity.

• “Do You Want to Raise an Obedient Child?” from Psychology Today explores the downfalls of obedience.