Matched

What are Cassia’s thoughts and emotions on the night of her Match Banquet? How does she feel about being Matched with Xander? Do you think her feelings are genuine or is she simply making the best of a situation that she has no control over? Explain your response.

How does Cassia being Matched with two people begin to change or complicate her view of the Society? Do you think if she had only been Matched with Xander, she would have continued to follow the rules without question? Would she still have been drawn to Ky?

Why does Cassia’ grandfather gift her the two poems? What qualities does he see in Cassia that she doesn’t yet see in herself? What does Grandfather’s illegal act reveal about his own view of the Society?

Why do Grandfather’s two poems resonate with Cassia, especially Dylan Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” (first mentioned in Chapter 9)? Why is it so important for her to remember it? Do you think she would have started to challenge the Society so intensely if she hadn’t read it?

Why do you think Cassia falls in love with Ky? What traits is she drawn to? Do you think they only fell in love because they were Matched, or is something deeper at work? Explain your response.

What aspects of the Society does Cassia begin to reject? Which aspect would you say she rejects the most? Why does she becoming increasingly angry and resentful towards the world she once accepted?

Describe Xander and Ky’s relationship. How have their feelings towards each other changed since they first met? Do you think they respect each other, or will Xander always harbor some form of jealousy towards Ky?

What are some of the drastic measures that the Society takes to control its populace? Do you think these measures will work long-term? Why or why not?