Dragon Pearl

Imagine how Jun might have come to be involved in finding the Dragon Pearl for Captain Hwan. What does your version of events say about Jun’s character, as well as the culture and situation aboard the Pale Lightning? How does Jun’s character resolution (choosing to stay with Min rather than haunting the captain) redeem him?

Why do you think the author chose to include Nari and her gambling den, even though they are only seen once and have no direct effect on the greater plot and conflict of the story? Is their presence necessary? Why or why not? Use at least three examples from the text to prove your point.

Using the ideas present in The Evolution of Personal Identity, discuss the messages that Dragon Pearl sends about stereotypes and judgments. How do attitudes toward foxes illustrate the problem with judging someone before you get to know them as an individual? Is Min just as guilty of judging others as they are of judging her for her fox nature? Why or why not?

The Conflict Between Ethical and Self-Serving Actions explores how every decision has aspects of selflessness and selfishness in it. Choose three decisions made by the characters of Dragon Pearl and analyze how selfishness and selflessness play a role in each. Support your answer with evidence from the text.

Explore how truth and lies come together to make the main conflicts of Dragon Pearl. Choose at least three different instances and examine how truth might have lessened the tension and consequences caused by the lie that is actually used. In each situation, explain why the deceptive character judged a lie to be the best solution.

One of Min’s primary motivations for finding the Dragon Pearl is to help Jinju, which was denied the opportunity to undergo terraforming and therefore remains saddled with a weak and struggling economy. Compare and contrast the powers of the story world to those of real-world nations. What lessons can be learned from the novel about equality and opportunity?

Many aspects of Dragon Pearl draw heavily upon Korean mythology. Explore the figure of the nine-tailed fox (kumiho) in greater detail and compare and contrast the fox figure of original lore to the fox characters in the novel. Pay particular attention to areas in which the author’s vision diverge, and analyze why such changes may have been made.

In Chapter 20, an engineer tells Min that small amounts of luck build luck in larger amounts. Explore this idea as it relates to The Damaging Effects of Lying, comparing and contrasting how luck and lies work on a similar spectrum. How are the forces similar and different? Support your answer with evidence from the text.