How to teach “The Knife of Never
Letting Go”…
In the novel “The Knife of Never
Letting Go”, by Patrick Ness, the character Todd Hewitt goes on a journey to
find out what it is to be a man, and in the process learns a lot about himself.
If we look at this from an educational standpoint we can see that there are
many aspects that are very relatable to students. For example, Todd feels
isolated being surrounded by only men, while he is still not old enough to join
them. There is also the theme of progressing into adulthood. These relatable
themes should be incorporated into the assignments to make them more
interesting for the students. Teachers should be aware of the profanity and violence throughout the book.
Coming of Age…
Have the students follow Todd on his
journey into manhood. Before they start to read, have the students write a half
page about what they think it is to be an adult (what makes you an adult) and
why they think that those things make them adults. After every big decisions
(made by Todd) in the book, have the students decide on if he has reached adulthood
yet, get opposing views and discuss. this assignment many be used as frequently
or infrequently as the teacher sees fit. This lesson is mainly designed for a 9th
grade class.
In the text, Todd is on the cusp of adulthood. He
references his 13th birthday throughout the text as a coming of age.
Society will treat him differently after his birthday than they do before it.
Many cultures have coming of age rituals in which youth go through a ceremony
and come out on the other side as adults. Are there any rituals like that in
your family`s culture? Have you ever participated in such a ritual? In groups,
students will research one coming of age ritual from a foreign culture and
present their findings to the class. After discussion, students will design
their own coming of age ritual. Have fun and do some of these coming of age
rituals as a class. A perfect way to have fun and possibly even eat some food!
Noise…
Have the students do a simple
writing assignment where they can write about a broad topic. First have the
students write in complete silence. After 5 or 10 mins. Have them do another
short assignment on a different topic. At this point the teacher should do
their best to recreate the chaotic “noise” of the book. Turn the TV on while
changing the channels, same with that radio, even have some, or all, the
students talk loudly about different things while still trying to complete
their writing assignment. Afterward discuss how disruptive the noise is and
how it can distract one’s self from their own thoughts.
The author uses fonts and the written word to express the
noise that all of the characters in the story have to live with on a daily
basis. What effect does the use of the noisy text have on the reader? Are you
able sympathize with the characters who live in this noise polluted world?
Represent the noise in the story visually. Try to represent the noise without
using any written text. In the novel Todd`s noise grows red when he is angry.
What other colors can you use? Use color, shape, and line, to visually
represent the noise.
Relating to FEED…
Have the student read the feed with
this novel, or at least give them a good idea what the other book is about, and
have them write about how the pervasiveness of others ideas constantly
streaming into you head would affect the way that you think, feel and act.
Would you be able to survive in such a world? What would you do?
Symbolism...
Symbolism is important to consider when reading any piece
of literature. Symbols represent ideas, ideals, and beliefs in a society. What
symbols are prominent in American culture? Look at some flags from around the
world. In small groups, flip through some magazines or other artifact in the
classroom looking for examples of symbolism. Discuss the nature of these
symbols and come to a consensus about what belief or ideal the symbols
represent? Come together as large group and share your small group insights
while providing evidence. After discussing popular symbols and the values they
represent, design a flag that symbolizes each of the villages in The Knife of
Never Letting Go.
Storyboards...
Storyboards are used in the film industry to outline
action sequences. The Knife of Never Letting go has a series of chase scenes:
Todd and Viola fleeing from Aaron and the village elders at the bridge, Todd
and Viola running for their lives as Hildy`s village is overrun by the
Prentisstown army. Create a storyboard depicting how you imagine these chase
scenes would appear in a movie. Highlight an important event in your sequence
and be prepared to share how that event shapes the overall plot of the story
and what effect it has on the development of the characters.
Maps...
Many science-fiction and fantasy stories have a map of
the world of the story. Tolkien`s Lord of the Rings trilogy is famous its map
of Middle Earth. Video games are also a popular medium in which maps play an
important role in the telling of the story. Look at some examples of real and
fictional maps. What important elements do they all share? What is their
purpose? Create either a map of Todd`s world depicting his journey from
Prentisstown, through the swamp and finally to Haven, or create map that could
be used in a The Knife of Never Letting Go video game. There are many examples
of video games maps including maps from Starcraft, Morrowind, WoW, etc.
Journals...
Keep a diary of your thoughts throughout the day. People
have rich inner lives often feeling sad, angry, joyful, etc. Some of these
thoughts and feelings we keep to ourselves and others we chose to share. What
would happen to your relationships if every thought and feeling you ever had
was on display for others to see? These journals are your private journals and
will not be read by anyone else. Jot down your thoughts and feelings throughout
the day. You can use different colored ink or highlighter to illustrate what
you would share and what you would keep private. At the end of the project we
will categorize our thoughts and feelings and discuss what parts we are
comfortable sharing and which parts of us we keep hidden.
Our world is filled with noise in the form of television,
radio, internet, iPods, text messages, etc. Try going as long as you without
turning on the TV, radio, checking Facebook or email. How does it make you
feel? Write a journal entry about your quiet solitude. Or, saturate yourself in
noise: turn on the TV while chatting with friends online, while talking on the
phone and listening to the radio. How does this abundance of noise make you
feel? Which do you prefer, noise or quiet? Create a thoughtful journal entry
and be prepared to share with the class.
Interviews...
Interviews. Working with a partner, craft interview
questions and responses for characters in the book. For example, you could have
Todd interview the spackle. Questions and answers should be thoughtful and
reflect the essences of the characters from the book.
Discussion/Debate...
Todd is faced with many decisions throughout the book. If
he acts one way the story develops differently than if he were to act in a
different way. It is always fun to ask the question ``What if?`` Create a
timeline showing how the story would progress differently had Todd made a
different decision. What if Todd didn’t kill the spackle? What if Todd stayed
in Hildi`s home and didn`t flee with Viola? What are some choices you have made
or make regularly that if you acted differently would have changed something in
your life?
Class Debate. Consider the following statement: Todd
would be better off joining the Mayor. Imagine a line is drawn through the
center of the classroom with one side of the classroom representing the opinion
``I strongly agree,`` and the other side of the room representing ``I strongly
disagree.`` Where do you fall on the line are you somewhere in the middle? Find
evidence from the text that supports your opinion and be ready to make an
argument for your position. If your argument is persuasive, other students
might relocate along the line.
