Cinder

Cinder discovers that Dr. Erland created the cyborg draft to find her, Princess Selene. How do you think the characters of Cinder and Dr. Erland would respond to the question: Was the cyborg draft worth the loss of cyborg life?

The concept of immunity weaves throughout the story. In what ways are the characters of Cinder searching for and desiring immunity? 

The citizens of New Beijing embrace the technology present in their daily lives. Hovers, netscreens, portscreens—these items are perceived as beneficial and even necessary. How is the human response to technology, such as netscreens, contradictory to the technology embedded within cyborgs? Is it a fair contradiction? 

During a brief exchange of close eye contact between Kai and Cinder, Kai’s reaction leads Cinder to wonder if he saw her retina display, uncovering her cyborg secret (230). What evidence might support that Kai learns of Cinder as cyborg in this moment, and accepts her?

In preparation of Cinder’s escape from New Beijing, she packs both Peony’s ID chip and Iko’s personality chip. What is the significance of each chip? 

Queen Levana and Sybil refer to the expectation that Lunar citizens align their behavior with the wishes of the queen, never acting in disruptive ways. How is control implemented throughout the story? Is control always a negative in the novel? 

In the novel, cyborgs and androids are reduced to their parts, both literally or figuratively. How are Cinder and Prince Kai reduced to parts rather than viewed as the summation of a whole person? How do their roles in society affect the compartmentalization of their parts?

Queen Levana demands the removal of all mirrored surfaces due to their negating effect on her glamour. How might others seeing Queen Levana in her authentic form, without the falsified beauty, change their level of obedience? How significant is her beauty in maintaining power over others?