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

According to Merriam-Webster, an ecosystem is “the complex of a community of organisms and its environment functioning as an ecological unit.” How can imbalance in an ecosystem hurt wildlife? How does this ultimately hurt humanity?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question provides an opportunity to introduce the environmental context of the novel as it relates to the theme of The Wilderness Versus Civilization. Early in the novel, Miyax’s survival is dependent on her understanding of the natural ecosystem and her intuitive recognition of the wolves’ intelligence and skills; her respect for ecosystem balance grows throughout her experiences. Miyax observes the potential destruction of such ecosystems with the increase of American interest in the land, primarily due to economic pursuits for oil. Additionally, wolves, although essential to the natural hierarchy of the Alaskan landscape, are hunted by the Americans; the death of Miyax’s beloved Amaroq near the novel’s conclusion is a metaphor for the inevitable destruction and changes to life in the Alaskan ecosystem. Students might work with a partner to brainstorm a list of types of ecosystems or ecosystem characteristics they recall from science classes before addressing the prompt.