Healer of the Water Monster

An important part of the Hero’s Journey is finding the right mentors. Which characters act as mentors to Nathan, and what does he learn from them? In what ways is Nathan himself a teacher or mentor? How do Nathan and his mentors develop the theme of Finding the Hero Within?

How do Nathan and his family members demonstrate their love for one another? In what ways is their family a source of pain for Nathan and his relatives? Ultimately, how do Nathan and his family members resolve the problems between them—or are some of these issues unresolved by the novel’s ending? What message is Young trying to communicate about family, and how does this theme impact the novel’s overall meaning?

What heroic qualities does Nathan discover within himself? What obstacles does he face on his journey to become a hero, and how does he overcome them? How does the theme of Finding the Hero Within impact the story’s overall meaning?

Consider the different forms that healing takes in the novel. Which characters need healing, and do they find it? If so, how? In what ways is Nathan a healer despite Pond’s death? Consider the novel’s themes and parallel plotlines in your response.

Throughout the novel, how do humans’ actions threaten nature? Which characters respect nature, and how do they seek to protect it? How does Pond’s character arc develop the theme of The Importance of Respecting Nature and impact the novel’s overall meaning?

The motif of communication supports the theme of Finding the Hero Within. How does this motif appear in both of the novel’s parallel plotlines and illuminate Nathan’s character development over the course of the novel?

Nali says that Holy Beings can connect with humans more easily in the desert than in the city. How does the setting of the desert impact the plot, the motif of communication, and the theme of The Importance of Respecting Nature? How does the desert shape Nathan, and how does he seek to affect it in return?

The motif of water appears throughout the novel. How do Nathan’s relationship with water and the significance of this motif evolve over the course of the story?