Ransom:

Section 1
1. Achilles is a renowned warrior; what else does the start of the book reveal about him?
2. What is the friendship between Achilles and Patroclus based on?
3. What role do the gods/goddesses play in the lives of the characters?
4. What are the signs of Achilles’ grief and why does it overcome him?
5. How is Achilles’ grief seen by his Myrmidons?
6. List some examples of time-shifts in Section 1. How does this literary device add to the story?

Section 2
1. How does Priam arrive at the decision to seek out Achilles?
2. What viewpoint are we given of Achilles in section 2 and by whom?
3. Why is chance such a difficult concept for Priam and the royal court?
4. Briefly describe Priam’s background.
5. What signs/assistance are given by the gods in this section?
6. What is Somax’s view of the royal court and its proceedings?
7. How does Somax act as a counterbalance to Priam and the royal court?

Section 3
1. What are the effects of the shifts of perspective between Somax and Priam in section 3?
2. What does Priam learn from Somax in this section?
3. What do Somax’s and Priam’s stories of the loss of their sons tell us about each man?
4. Why does Priam take Hermes calling him “father” as “an endorsement and blessing”? (161)
5. How is Priam’s role as a royal king portrayed in this section?

Section 4
1. How does Achilles come to agree to the return of Hector’s body?
2. In section 4, how does “the true Achilles” emerge and achieve balance? (190)
3. What human values does part 4 appear to endorse?
4. What role do the gods play in this section?
5. What is won by the act of ransom? Is anything lost?

Section 5
1. What criticisms of war are made in section 5?
2. How are Achilles and Priam both changed by their encounter?
3. What is foretold in section 5 and how does this add to the story?
4. What is the effect of the focus on Somax and Beauty at the end of the novel?
5. How is Beauty “one of the true servants of the gods”? (150)
 Storytelling
Quotes/evidence Who tells their story and what is revealed about
their nature, their actions and their response to
conflict?
Book One

Book Two

Book Three

Book Four

Book Five

Identity
Quotes/evidence Who are the main characters? What are their
roles? How do they change across the novel?
What do they learn? How to they grow?
Book One

Book Two

Book Three

Book Four

Book Five
 Leadership

Quotes/evidence What leadership style is shown? By whom? How

does it change and why?
Book One

Book Two

Book Three

Book Four

Book Five

Fate + Destiny

Quotes/evidence Where and how are these ideas explored? Who

controls or influences the lives of these
characters during these moments?
Book One

Book Two

Book Three

Book Four

Book Five
 Transformation and Change

Quotes/evidence Who changes during this book and why? What is

the catalyst for the changes that take place?
What influences a character’s transformation?
Book One

Book Two

Book Three

Book Four

Book Five