49 pages • 1 hour read
Katherine MarshNowhere Boy
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
How do characters other than Max and Ahmed exemplify The Importance of Empathy in Global Issues? What do the actions of people like Farah, Oscar, and Reka add to the novel’s exploration of this theme? Provide textual examples.
What experiences does Max have before meeting Ahmed that affect his decision to let Ahmed stay in the wine cellar? What do you see as the crucial factors in Max’s actions? Provide textual examples.
Max’s sister, Claire, faces difficult moral choices in the novel. What values does she weigh as she considers whether to keep Ahmed’s secret?
How do Max and Ahmed learn to trust each other? How does Max show Ahmed that he sees him as a person? Provide specific examples.
How does the novel explore the causes and impacts of xenophobia? How do Max and Ahmed try to combat xenophobia, both separately and together?
While many of the younger characters undergo profound learning experiences, Inspector Fontaine and Madame Pauline refuse to change their minds despite strong evidence refuting their views. What does this suggest about xenophobia and prejudice? What does it suggest about youth?
Why does Inspector Fontaine visit the Howards’ house so often? What is the significance of his obsession with tending to the garden and his stories about his grandfather? How does this influence his worldview about refugees?
Describe the importance of Friendship Across Cultural Divides, especially in relation to Farah, Oscar, Max, and Ahmed. What binds them together, even amidst their differing cultures? Why do Farah and Oscar agree to help Ahmed? In what ways are their reasons different?
What is the significance of the story about Albert Jonnart and Ralph Mayer? How does their story influence and inspire Max and Ahmed in separate ways? Provide textual examples.
What does Nowhere Boy tell us about the relationships between trauma, grief, and hope? How do Ahmed’s experiences exemplify these ideas? Provide specific examples.
