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

1. What is the difference between a “villain” and a “monster”? List examples of villains and monsters from books, movies, TV shows, and video games. What are the shared characteristics of a villain and the characteristics of a monster? You may find it helpful to create a Venn Diagram to organize your thoughts.

Teaching Suggestion: If your students are unsure where to start, it might be helpful to offer a few examples as a springboard. Ask them to consider if both terms are associated with humans, animals, or a different kind of creature. For example, they might start with figures that are associated with Halloween, since many students will be familiar with these (for instance, mummies, vampires, Frankenstein, zombies, witches). Students might benefit from sharing their examples with one another in a small-group or whole-class discussion; student input will likely incorporate pop culture examples. Helpful guiding questions may include “Is a monster always malicious?” “Is a villain born evil?” “Can a monster have agency?” and “Can a human be categorized as a monster?” If students struggle for pop culture examples, you might ask them to compare and contrast the types of vampires in Twilight, consider the intellect of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, or discuss the depiction of zombies in The Walking Dead and The Last of Us.