Thor in Utgard: book club questions by chapter

🦉 Thor in Utgard · meeting 1 of 2

Read: Part One, “The Road to the Giants” (pages 1–4, about 4 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 4, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. 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.
2. The part we just read is called "The Road to the Giants". 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.
3. 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.

🦉 Thor in Utgard · meeting 2 of 2

Read: Part Two, “The Contests”; Part Three, “The Secret” (pages 5–10, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 10, the end of the story.

1. Why did Thor take Thialfi along with him?
   The story's answer: Thialfi had broken a bone of one of his goats
2. Who was Skrymir really?
   The story's answer: The king of the giants in disguise
3. What was Thor's wrestling opponent, Elli?
   The story's answer: Old age
4. What does Thor's trip to Utgard show about strength?
   The story's answer: Strength can be beaten by trickery, but real strength still impresses
5. What did the king mean when he said the horn was joined to the sea?
   The story's answer: Thor had been drinking the ocean itself
6. 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.
7. The part we just read is called "The Secret". 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.
8. 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.