Perseus and Medusa: book club questions by chapter

🦉 Perseus and Medusa · meeting 1 of 3

Read: Part One, “The Chest on the Sea”; Part Two, “The Gifts of the Gods” (pages 1–6, about 5 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 6, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did King Acrisius put Danae and her baby in a wooden chest?
   The story's answer: An oracle said the baby would one day cause his death
2. Why did Perseus look at Medusa only in his shield?
   The story's answer: Anyone who looked straight at her turned to stone
3. Who have we met so far, and what does each of them want?
   Listen for: Make a list together on the board; keep it for next time and add to it.
4. The part we just read is called "The Gifts of the Gods". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 Perseus and Medusa · meeting 2 of 3

Read: Part Three, “The Edge of the World”; Part Four, “Medusa” (pages 7–12, about 5 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 12, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. How did Perseus make the Gray Sisters tell him the way?
   The story's answer: He caught their one eye as they passed it
2. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
3. The part we just read is called "Medusa". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 Perseus and Medusa · meeting 3 of 3

Read: Part Five, “Andromeda”; Part Six, “Home” (pages 13–18, about 5 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 18, the end of the story.

1. Why did Polydectes send Perseus to fetch Medusa's head?
   The story's answer: He hoped Perseus would never come back
2. What does the story show about how Perseus won?
   The story's answer: He won by being careful, clever and accepting help
3. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
4. The part we just read is called "Home". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Now that you know the ending, was it the ending you expected?
   Listen for: Ask what in the earlier parts pointed to it, or pointed the other way.

About the whole story

1. What does this myth explain, or try to explain?
   Listen for: Many myths explain how something came to be: a season, an animal, a name.
2. Was the main character right or wrong? Was the ending fair?
   Listen for: Myths are often hard on people; let the group disagree.
3. If you could ask one character a question, who and what would it be?
   Listen for: A good last question: it shows what puzzled each reader.
4. Who would you give this story to, and why them?
   Listen for: A reader who can name the right person has understood what the story is like.
5. If you could ask the person who first told this story one question, what would it be?
   Listen for: Collect the questions; some have answers on the story's page in the library.