School+for+Good+and+Evil

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**At the School for Good and Evil, failing your fairy tale is not an option.** **Welcome to the School for Good and Evil, where best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.** **With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.** **The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed—Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.** **But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are. . . ?** **The School for Good and Evil is an epic journey into a dazzling new world, where the only way out of a fairy tale is to live through one.**

The School for Good and Evil launches the reader into the tale with a bold beginning: “Sophie had waited all her life to be kidnapped.” this unlikely pairing of longing and abduction immediately sets a curious tone for the story. What were your reactions to the beginning of the story? How did the very first sentence shape your predictions of what might unfold in The School for Good and Evil?

Describe the legend of the School Master and how the di.erent inhabitants of Gavaldon react to his imminent arrival to take selected children to the School for Good and Evil.

The friendship between Sophie and Agatha is forged early in the story as the village of Gavaldon prepares for the appearance of the School Master. Agatha is in almost every way the opposite of Sophie. Agatha craves to feel ordinary while Sophie declares: ‘I can't live an ordinary life’. How does the girls take on life, coupled with their shared wish to stay in the company of one another “wherever that was,” foreshadow what is to come in the story?

Agatha and Sophie experience a dramatic and surprising entry into their respective schools. Sophie feels like a “red rose amongst thorns” at her school while Agatha perceives herself to be “the cat in a nightingale’s nest’ at her school. How do these descriptions help the reader understand how the characters view themselves and their respective settings?

Agatha and Sophie arrived at the School for Good and Evil armed only with the knowledge of the legend of the School Master. Once at the School for Good, Agatha discovers the Gallery of Good and evidence of what has happened to those kidnapped from Galvadon and brought to the school. Agatha realizes that “the line between stories and real life is very thin indeed.” What does Agatha discover about the connection between life at the school and life in Galvadon?

Castor and Pollux, the two-headed dog that welcomes the new students to the school, tells the students the reason why they have been selected to come to the School for Good and Evil saying that “All children are born with souls that are either Good or Evil. Some souls are purer than others.” Discuss the idea that a soul can be either fundamentally good or evil and how this theory is supported—and in some cases refuted—by events in the story.

The character of Tedros throws a wrench in Agatha’s plan to escape the school with Sophie and to return to their village. Agatha realizes that Sophie’s interest in Tedros highlights the opposing the opposing desires of Agatha and Sophie: Agatha wants her friend back, while Sophie wants the Prince. How does Tedros influence the highs and lows of the friendship between Agatha and Sophie throughout the story?

Agatha and Sophie both wrestle with their unlikely placement in their individual schools. Agatha is initially drawn to the Nevers’ goal of solitude and power and Sophie is equally attracted to the Evers’ ideals of love and happiness. But soon each friend begins to realize that perhaps they may indeed be in the correct school. What story events help Agatha and Sophie recognize the accuracy of their school placements?

Agatha and Sophie encounter the Storian when they seek out the School Master in his high tower. What is the Storian? How does it influence what happens to Agatha and Sophie at the School for Good and Evil?

Agatha and Sophie realize the answer to the Story Master’s riddle: “What’s the one thing Evil can never have and the one thing Good can never do without?” ,ey recognize that it is not just love that separates good and evil but speci-cally true love’s kiss. ,e key to escaping their fates as penned by the Storian rests in Sophie’s ability to get Tedros to kiss her. The Storian also adds the following to Agatha and Sophie’s fairy tale, “But no kiss comes without its price.” What do you think is meant by the Storian’s cautionary words?

Sophie undergoes a transformation in appearance and behavior in her quest to attract Tedros’ attention. Describe the lengths to which Sophie goes to entice her beloved prince. What are Sophie’s true intentions? How does Sophie's motivation reveal more about her true character?

No matter how Sophie betrays Agatha and thwarts Agatha’s efforts to free them from the School for Good and Evil, Agatha continues to support Sophie and help her through her difficulties. How does Agatha demonstrate her loyalty to Sophie throughout their time at the school? What does Agatha’s devoted behavior reveal about her character?

As the Ball approaches, the stakes continue to rise for both Agatha and Sophie. Professor Dovey tells Agatha, “You are a powerful talent. Good enough to conquer any Evil. Good enough to find your happy ending, even if you’ve lost your way! Everything you need is inside you, Agatha.” Even with that preface, Agatha chooses to use her one wish from the fairy godmother to become beautiful. Why do you think she chooses to improve her appearance even after being shown that her inner character is strong enough to triumph over evil?

The School Master’s true plan in pitting the two Readers against one another provides a dramatic twist at the end the story. When his motivation for bringing Sophie to the School for Good and Evil is revealed, all that has held true for Nevers and Evers melts away. Discuss your reaction to this pivotal plot element and how the School Master’s revelation shapes the ending of the story.