Family and Home
Eragon's family is very important to him, although he never knew his parents. o Who do you think Eragon's parents were? o Why did his mother bring him to her brother to raise and then disappear? o Could Eragon have prevented his uncle's death? What was Eragon's life like before he found the dragon's egg? How did his discovery of the egg change his life? Do you think Eragon found the egg or the egg was deliberately sent to him? Does Brom know that Eragon is special from the beginning? Has he been watching Eragon all along, knowing what his destiny will be? Why do you think Brom settled in Carvahall as the village storyteller? Do you think Eragon will ever be able to return to the Palancar Valley and Carvahall? He longs for his home in the midst of his adventures, but will he return to the farm when his adventures are over?
Destiny and Responsibility
What does Saphira mean when she says, "It is our destiny to attempt the impossible, to accomplish great deeds regardless of fear. It is our responsibility to the future"? Is this true for everyone? What is the responsibility of each of us to the future? Why does Eragon's magic diminish his own strength every time he uses it? Angela the fortuneteller says, "To know one's fate can be a terrible thing." Would you want to know your future if someone could tell you? Why does Eragon decide to hear her predictions? What does she mean when she says, "That freedom [to choose your fate] is a gift, but it is also a responsibility more binding than chains"? How does Eragon feel about his fate as a Dragon Rider? What are the benefits of his new life? What are the dangers? Would you choose to take on the responsibilities Eragon hascaring for Saphira, rescuing Arya, helping the Varden, fighting the Empire?
Trust and Fear
Why does Brom want to travel with Eragon when he is forced to leave his home? How does Eragon know that he can trust Brom? Who are the Ra'zac and what do they represent to Eragon? When Eragon realizes that Arya is an elf, does it change his feelings about her? Why does he rescue her from the prison even though it puts his own rescue in jeopardy? How does Eragon feel when he learns about Murtagh's parentage? Does the fact that Murtagh's father was Morzan affect Eragon's trust of him? Does it affect your feelings about his character?
Good and Evil
Many fantasy novels deal with the struggle between forces of good and evil. Discuss the ways in which Eragon explores this theme and which characters represent good and evil.
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The story begins with the Shade and his ruthless ambush of the elf Arya. Are there characters who represent pure good and pure evil? Discuss the ways in which an author/film maker shows us a character's true nature. How does a character's life experience shape his or her actions? How did Galbatorix establish his rule of Alagasia? The Urgals seem to be completely ruthless, yet Eragon is hesitant to kill them with his magic. Why does he only use his magic to stun them?
Connecting Fantasy to Real Life
What kinds of good and evil do you hear about in the news? Discuss examples from news stories that report events representing the good and evil in our society and around the world. What circumstances can bring people together to become friends and what can make those friendships grow and develop? What circumstances can hurt a friendship? Do you feel that some people have a destiny to fulfill or a special reason for living? Name people in history who had a strong responsibility to a cause for good or evil. (Possibilities would be Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King for good causes and Adolf Hitler, Attila the Hun, and Josef Stalin for evil.)
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