Speaker for the Dead

Compare and contrast Trondheim and Lusitania. How do their climates and environments differ? How do their cultures differ? What makes Lusitania a suitable location for the restoration of the hive queen, while Trondheim is not?

The main character, Ender, goes by multiple names and obscures his true identity. Why does he hide his primary identity, Ender? Why does he hide the fact that he is the original Speaker for the Dead and the author of The Hive Queen and the Hegemon?

Analyze the “Questionable Activities” started by Libo and carried on by Miro and Ouanda. What questionable activities do the xenologers teach the pequeninos? Why do they defy Starways Congress and teach the pequeninos some human technologies? How do the questionable activities contribute to the themes in the text? Are the questionable activities ethical? Why?

Discuss The Hive Queen and the Hegemon. What is the book about? Why did Ender write it? Why did he publish it under the pseudonym Speaker for the Dead? How did it impact humanity? How does it influence the humans and pequeninos on Lusitania?

Characterize Novinha. What are her primary character traits and flaws? What motivates her? Is she an antagonist? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Compare and contrast Ender and Miro. How are they alike? How are they different? How is each changed by his relationship to the other?

How is the theme of The Importance of Cross-Cultural Empathy portrayed in the book? What is Card’s underlying message regarding interspecies interaction? How can the theme be applied to the real world? Use examples from the text and from external sources to support your answer.

Describe Jane. How did Jane come to exist? Is she truly sentient? How does her character impact the plot and the other characters?