Capture The Flag

Evaluate the development of the friendship between Anna, José, and Henry, comparing and contrasting their traits. How does this friendship support the novel’s thematic interest in The Value of Teamwork and Diverse Perspectives?

Anna’s and José’s dads both have special ringtones to indicate their wives are calling— “Hail to the Chief” for Anna’s and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” for José’s. What might these songs represent about each woman? Research their lyrics and use details from the novel to explain the possible inferences.

Explore Messner’s choice to include visuals of Sinan’s idiom sketches. How do they contribute to the reader’s understanding of Sinan’s characterization as well as the understanding of each idiom?

Analyze an issue raised in the novel, such as immigration, national identity, or a woman running for president. Construct an argument about whether Messner’s treatment of this issue is timely and relevant citing specific examples from the text to support your ideas.

How does the compressed setting of the novel—24 hours inside an airport—create a sense of propulsion in the novel’s plot? How does it build tension and reveal characterization?

Messner uses Vincent Goosen and the Serpentine Princes as a red herring in the novel—something intended to mislead or distract the reader in order to create a surprise ending. How successful is this literary device at keeping readers guessing? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Messner characterizes Snickerbottom as a caricature of a politician with a friendly, folksy attitude intended to win over voters. How do his actions and motivations contrast with this outward facade? In what ways does this dichotomy develop the novel’s thematic interest in The Danger of Assumptions and Prejudices?

Molly Revere-Hobbes says the Silver Jaguar Society “was originally named for Ixchel, the Mayan goddess of creativity, [...]. Over the years, people forgot about the goddess and just remembered the jaguar part” (223). Explore the irony implicit in Society members forgetting a key aspect of the jaguar’s history and explain how this connects to Messner’s engagement with The Need to Protect Artifacts that Shape Understanding of the Past.