Several mysteries remain unanswered at this point in the novel.  Read the following mysteries of the book and using what you know about the characters and events from W2M, attempt to come up with possible explanations (at least 2 mysteries).

• Who is Mrs. Cadaver?


• Who is the lunatic?


• Why is someone leaving mysterious messages?


• Why has Mrs. Winterbottom disappeared?


• Where is Sal's Mother?


• Why does Ben live with MaryLou?

Questions:

1.  Based on your story and any other stories you  may be reading this week- why do people seek the unknown?

2.  How does science help us understand our world?

Can Cirque du Freak's message be summed up by one of the words or phrases below?

One of these words may lead you to understanding the theme of this Darren Shan story. Often, there are many themes.  What theme do you feel fits Cirque du Freak: A Living Nightmare?  Why? 

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  Birth - life after loss, life sustains tragedy

  
  


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  Death - death as mystery, death as a new beginning

  
  


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  Heroism - false heroism, heroism and conflicting values

  
  


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  Escape - escape from family pressures, escaping social constraints

  
  


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  Love - love sustains/fades with a challenge

  
  


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  Journey - most journeys lead back to home

  
  


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  Coming of age - boy becomes a man

  
  


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  Patriotism - inner conflicts stemming from patriotism

  
  


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  Peace and war - war is tragic, peace is fleeting

  
  


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  Hope - hope rebounds

  
  


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  Hopelessness - finding hope after tragedy

  
  


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  Generation gap - experience versus youthful strength

  
  


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  Home - security of a homestead

  
  


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  Betrayal - fading bonds of love

  
  


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  Power - Lust for power

  
  


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  Isolation - the isolation of a soul

  
  


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  Judgment - balance between justice and judgement

  
  


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  Fortune - a fall from grace and fortune

  
  


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  Family - destruction of family

  
  


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  Sense of self - finding strength from within

  
  


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  Good and evil - the coexistence of good and evil on earth

  
  


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  Duty - the ethics of killing for duty

  
  


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  Survival - man against nature

  
  


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  Conformity - industrialization and the conformity of man

  
  


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  Individualism - choosing between security and individualism

  
  


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  Deception - appearance versus reality

  
  


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  Race relations - learned racism

  
  


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  Suffering - suffering as a natural part of human experience

  
  


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  Alienation - creating emotional isolation

  
  


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  Loss - loss of innocence, loss of individualism

  
  


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  Discovery - conquering unknown, discovering strength

  
  

Hello Readers!What book do you have to recommend to our class?  Please share the following (but don't give too much away!)

• Title of the book (capitalize properly, please)


• Author of the book (check the spelling)


• A few sentences telling why you enjoyed it and why someone may want to read it.


• If you know where it can be found?  (library, classroom, you can lend it, or other...)

Hello Readers,

Don't forget to blog the progress of your most recent reading goal.  How have you been making an effort to improve as a reader?  Also, you may add any other reading thoughts that you have!

:) Ms. Hopkins

Freak the Mighty Thoughts & Wonders

Post your fun, funny, shocking, thoughtful, mind blowing memories or events of 5th Grade here!

.....

Thoughts?

Thoughts?