Dragonflight

With the character of Lessa, Anne McCaffrey turns the concept of a damsel-in-distress on its head. Is Lessa a likable character? Why or why not? Does her likability matter for the story?

The most authoritative leaders in the text are the Holding Lord Fax and the dragonman (and eventual Weyrleader) F’lar. Compare Fax and F’lar’s styles of leadership. Who is the more effective leader? What personality traits make a leader effective? What is the measure of a leader’s success?

Explore Pern’s educational system. How is knowledge transmitted and shared in Pern? Is their educational system effective? Why or why not?

In Dragonflight, the Red Star represents a distant but persistent threat to the people of Pern. Though it is easily visible in the sky, many Pernese still choose to ignore it. Are there real-world problems, in history or the modern day, that are comparable? Explore this connection and consider how Dragonflight suggests such problems be approached and solved.

One of the best-known writers of science fiction, Arthur C. Clarke, famously said, “Magic’s just science we don’t understand yet.” Use this quote as a starting point to explore the nexus of science, magic, and faith in Dragonflight.

Pern has a very particular moral code. Who do you think is the most “moral” character, on the novel’s own terms? Who is most immoral? Do these value judgments align well with your own understanding of right and wrong, or would you adjust Pern’s moral schema?

Tradition is an important element in Dragonflight. Summarize the main attitudes towards traditional knowledge in Pern. What is the value of tradition? Is it always productive to fall back on it?

At the time of its publication, critics and readers hailed Dragonflight as an unusually feminist work in a genre dominated by male authors and misogyny. Does Dragonflight hold up to modern feminist scrutiny? In what ways is Dragonflight a feminist work? In what ways does it fall short?