Starry River of the Sky

How do the smaller stories within the novel enhance the larger plotline? Analyze at least three of the smaller stories and identify how each one provides unique insight into the primary conflicts of the novel.

Examine Lin’s use of foreshadowing, particularly when she provides hints about Madam Chang and Mr. Shan’s true identities. When did you realize that the two characters are really the moon and the sage from the stories? Is Lin’s foreshadowing too subtle or too heavy-handed, or does it strike just the right balance? Support your answer with evidence from the text.

The novel implies that autobiographical stories are not completely true because they are told through the filter of one person’s experience. Examine three of the stories that the characters tell and examine how they might have been different if told from a different character’s perspective.

Using the relationships between the characters throughout the novel, explore how people help one another to grow. How do the characters learn lessons from the actions and stories of others, and how does the growth of one character influence the growth of others?

Compare and contrast the two different stories of how the mountain was moved. Why does Madam Chang waited until the end of the book to tell the true version of this story? How might it have been received had she told it earlier, and what does this say about how and when people are willing to accept the truth?

Study the basics of Chinese mythology and identify three elements of the novel that depend heavily upon Chinese tradition or mythology. How does Lin alter the traditional versions of these legends and myths to suit her own purposes?

Examine the recurring motif of the tiger, and explain the different ways it symbolizes The Destructive Power of Anger.

In Chapter 14, the duke explains the link between music and the ability to listen, concluding that those who hear can understand more easily. Use this lens to explore Rendi’s character development and his journey to save the moon. How does Rendi change when he is finally ready to listen, and what does listening help him to achieve?