The Dollhouse Murders

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

How would you describe the variety of abilities that individuals possess? Why might there be misunderstandings about abilities and their importance? Why might differing abilities be important to society?

Teaching Suggestion: Amy, the novel’s protagonist, has a sister with a developmental disability. Amy and her parents do not fully realize the potential in Louann, Amy’s sister, because they believe she is incapable of doing many things. It isn’t until later in the novel that Amy and her family realize Louann’s strengths and capabilities of. Students might first brainstorm lists of abilities they possess individually, abilities they see represented in others, and abilities they wish they had or are working to attain. After a chance to respond independently to the prompt, students might extend the discussion by addressing ways in which abilities differ among people and why each strength is valuable. They might also work in pairs to try to list 10 or so areas of categorization of abilities, which connects to these and similar resources.

• This 9-minute video from Improvement Pill offers one resource’s ideas on various abilities, including those that may not be reflected in traditional grades at school.
• This article from Education Corner explores learning styles and helps students to identify their individual learning style.

Short Activity

Explore the use of symbols to convey feelings and emotions. Discuss the questions below, then explore the symbols used in the novel and draw conclusions about what those symbols might represent to Amy.

• How might colors express certain emotions?
• In what ways are weather patterns used to convey emotion?
• What symbols represent traffic or the intended use of public spaces?
• How do brands use symbols to represent their clothing or products?
• What other uses of symbols can be found in everyday life?

Teaching Suggestion: Several symbols are used in the novel to convey emotion, meaning, and suspense as Amy seeks to discover who murdered her grandparents. Consider allowing students to use the questions to develop an understanding of symbols and how they are used. Then consider providing images of the items below to help students generate ideas about their possible meanings in the novel. Consider using this resource to further explore symbolism in literature.

• Broken-up tulip
• Four-leaf clover
• Cold weather
• Warm weather
• Stillness in the air
• Light breeze
• A homemade vase
• A fragrant lilac bush
• Thunderstorm

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who require an additional challenge can further explore how symbolism is typically used in literature and list authors who are well-known for their use of symbolism. Consider asking students to create an infographic on one of these authors and the possible meaning and effect of the symbols they use in a well-known work to post in the classroom, furthering the class’s understanding of the symbols in the novel.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Have you ever been given responsibilities at home or school that you felt were unfair? Why might guilt for failing to take on those responsibilities be a common reaction among people? What other emotions have you experienced or witnessed in others in connection with responsibilities at home or at school?

Teaching Suggestion: Amy runs away from home when she feels her responsibility for her sister with developmental disabilities is too much for her to handle. Amy’s aunt, Aunt Clare, is also later revealed to have escaped her family after she learns of the murder of her parents. Consider discussing personal responsibility and what emotions may be associated with it.