Mark must overcome many challenges during his years on Transall. Which challenges stem from the environment, antagonistic groups or individuals, and Mark himself (i.e., his emotional state and conflicting desires)? Which conflict do you think was the most significant to overcome?

Teaching Suggestion: In unpacking this question, students might find it helpful to recall and detail Mark’s conflicts, and then to consider how each conflict can be categorized in terms of environment, society, or self. See this reedsyblog article for conflict types in literature.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who might benefit from organizational assistance with whole-text tasks may find it useful to create a table detailing Mark’s challenges, these challenges’ categories, and how Mark overcame them. This format will enable students to more easily compare different conflicts.