105 pages • 3 hours read
Cornelia FunkeInkheart
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2003A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
Compare Meggie Folchart’s behavior at the beginning of the novel and at the end of the novel. How does the stress and chaos of the plot bring about Meggie’s maturity, composure, and compassion?
Does Dustfinger’s grief and suffering redeem his betrayal of Meggie and Mo? Explain why or why not.
How does Funke use literacy and illiteracy as a characterization tool to denote characters’ morality?
Analyze the role of books in Mo Folchart and Meggie’s life. How does the author reveal the importance of books throughout the text?
How does Elinor Loredan’s library symbolize resilience in the face of adversity? How does this tie into the theme of The Power of Literature?
Consider Elinor’s character growth, then choose one or two other secondary characters and compare. Is her character arc more or less pronounced than theirs? Explain how.
Does Capricorn’s death subvert standards of fantasy novels, or does it align with major characteristics of the fantasy genre? Explain your answer.
Evaluate how loyalty and kindness are rewarded by Funke in characters’ “happily ever afters.” Who experiences a happy ending, and is it warranted based on their actions in the story? How do Mortola and Basta’s fates tie into this?
How does Basta epitomize cruelty? How does this compare to characters like Capricorn, the primary antagonist, and Dustfinger, the neutral companion?
Consider Mo’s ethical quandary: Dustfinger asks Mo to read him back into Inkheart, but Mo knows that Dustfinger’s character will die in the story. Mo also knows that he risks pulling an unwilling individual from the Inkheart world to replace Dustfinger. What does this dilemma say about Mo’s morality as a character? What do you believe Funke wanted to convey through the complexities of Dustfinger’s situation?
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By Cornelia Funke
