Howl’s Moving Castle

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What does fantasy mean when we are talking about literature? What kinds of characters, plots, and settings are most common in stories you have read, viewed, or played in this genre? What does the word subvert mean? How might a fantasy author subvert readers’ expectations of this genre?

Teaching Suggestion: Howl’s Moving Castle is genre-subverting in several key ways that contribute to the novel’s themes. The protagonist is female, and when she sets off on her grand quest in order to seek her fortune and escape exploitation, she does not go far—in fact, she ends up in a moving castle where she provides free domestic labor. The novel focuses the reader’s attention on the real world’s problematic gender expectations and suggests that, in such a world, “perfect” endings and relationships are not really possible. This prompt is intended to raise students’ awareness of subversion as a strategy—as a way to increase their comprehension of the novel’s themes. If your students are not yet familiar with the term irony, it might be helpful to introduce it now as a way of talking about the effects of subverting genre expectations. Students may enjoy discussing this prompt aloud so that they can hear more examples of fantasy stories and brainstorm together about how the genre’s conventions might be subverted.

• This library guide written by the New York Public Library children’s library staff offers an excellent overview of the history of fantasy as a genre.
• This article from MasterClass offers a simple, clear explanation of how genre subversion works in film, literature, and games.

2. What is intertextuality? How is intertextuality similar to and different from allusion? Can you think of any examples of stories you have read, watched, or played that are examples of intertextuality?

Teaching Suggestion: Depending on age and experience, students may have little or no previous knowledge of intertextuality and allusion. If this is the case in your classroom, you might offer students the resources listed below before they attempt this prompt. You might ask them to individually complete the first two questions in the prompt as a way to check their understanding and then allow them to discuss the final prompt question aloud so that they can hear a wide variety of examples that illustrate this concept.

• This article from TCK Publishing defines and gives examples of intertextuality.
• This article from TCK Publishing defines and gives examples of allusion.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Have you ever felt that a friend, a relative, or an authority figure in your world is taking advantage of your knowledge, skills, or labor in an unfair way? If yes, how did this make you feel, and were you able to do anything about it? If no, how does it make you feel when you see other people being taken advantage of? Under what circumstances can people who are being taken advantage of do something about their situation, and under what circumstances are they simply stuck?

Teaching Suggestion: Compensation and Exploitation is one of the key themes of Howl’s Moving Castle. This prompt asks students to connect this idea to their own experience in order to increase their empathy for and investment in the novel’s main character, Sophie. The prompt is carefully worded to direct students’ thinking to the types of exploitation that Sophie experiences—the unfair use of her knowledge, skills, and labor by others. Be aware, however, that some students may have experienced much worse forms of exploitation; you may want to consider in advance how to respond in case of such revelations and consider whether this prompt is best used as a written or oral exercise in your particular classroom. If your classroom population includes refugees or other students who are more likely to have experienced damaging forms of exploitation, you may wish to ask an alternate question: “What does exploitation mean? What can families, schools, and communities do to help people who are being exploited?”