According to Yozo, what does it mean to be a human? How does he define himself against others? Does your understanding of being a human differ from his? If so, how?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might review and connect their response from the Personal Connection Prompt as they formulate an answer. Once students have an opportunity to respond independently, they might work in small groups or with a partner to list the strongest examples in the text of the theme Disqualified as a Human Being before discussing this question aloud.

Differentiation Suggestion: For advanced classes or for an intra/interpersonal approach, the following question may be added to the above prompt: Consider Yozo’s self-esteem in relation to his opinion on being human. How are the two connected? If the novel was set in a different time and/or place, would Yozo have had better access to resources that could help his overall self-esteem? Explain.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

CREATIVE WRITING: “Yozo Through the Eyes of His Community”

In this activity, students will create a letter from the perspective of one character in Yozo’s community.