The Unwanteds

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

What are the qualities of good leadership? What role does personal attitude play in leadership? What is authoritarian leadership? How is authoritarian leadership different from other leadership styles? What are the consequences of authoritarian leadership?

Teaching Suggestion: The novel’s protagonist, Alex, is caught between two opposing worlds. Quill, the world Alex is born into, is ruled by authoritarian leadership. Alex is sent to the Purge because he does not fit into the social standards of Quill; then he is taken to Artimé, a world created by Mr. Today, a figure who values creativity and the sharing of ideas. It may be beneficial to open the unit by discussing the differences between authoritarian leadership styles and leadership styles that value individuals rather than control.

• This 5-minute video describes what makes a good leader.
• This 2-minute video describes authoritarian leadership styles.

Short Activity

Consider each of the following statements, noting in your reading journal whether you believe it is true and how you think it might relate to the novel. 

• Creativity is important to society.
• There should be rules and regulations in groups.
• Rules should be strictly enforced to maintain order.
• Structure prevents chaos.
• Compassionate leaders are more important than strict leaders.
• When people have choices there is less structure.
• People in leadership should be open to communication.

Teaching Suggestion: After noting thoughts in their reading journal, students may return to these ideas as they read and reflect on the predictions they made. Another method that develops thinking, speaking, and listening skills: Each member of a pair of students takes a turn speaking about one of the statements for 60 seconds; their partner then has 60 seconds to respond and share their thoughts on the statement. Consider posting some “things to consider” on the board for students to reference.  

Personal Connection Prompt

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

What is the importance of creativity to society? Why might someone in authority want to stifle creativity? Describe a time when you felt like you couldn’t share ideas. How did it make you feel? How is a lack of communication connected to a lack of creativity?

Teaching Suggestion: Creativity is the most important difference between Artimé and Quill. Artimé encourages creative thinking to build a better world for the Unwanteds. It might be helpful to discuss the consequences for a society that restricts the sharing of ideas and open communication.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who might benefit from an enrichment challenge, students might research societies in history or literature with authoritarian structures. Students may wish to address the social consequences of such structures as well as the possible lack of creative advancement. They might share their new knowledge with the class in a brief summary.