The
Illegal
By Lawrence
Hill
(Tansley Reads Rating: 72%)
Icebreaker
Have you ever used a “book
for Dimwits (Dummies)” or is there one that you’d like to see published that
would be useful for yourself (or others in your opinion!)?
Questions
1. Why did the author set the story a few years
in the future?
2. Why did Hill create two imaginary countries as the
setting for this story?
3. After Keita’s mother died, why didn’t his
father take the rest of the family and leave Zantoroland?
4. What does running represent to Keita? To the
children of Zantoroland? To Freedom State? How does this compare with the
understanding of running that the children of AfricTown possess?
5. On page 71 Viola thinks
“it was fair to accuse somebody of doing
something illegal but not to say that they were
illegal”. Why do other types of illegal
activity not lead to a person being labeled as “an illegal”?
6. Keita is the main character in this story,
what do the other storylines add to this narrative?
7. What was John Falconer trying to show with his
documentary? How did he get away without
any apparent supervision over this project?
8. Why did Ivernia take in Keita?
9. Lula a hero or a
criminal?
10. Most of the characters in this novel, at
least bent, if not broke, the law. When
is law breaking justified (if ever)?
11. Did any character(s)
in The Illegal inspired you? Why?
12. What did you think
of the injection of Canadianisms into the story?
13. In one Goodreads review
the writer says, “I sense
an uncomfortable subtext to the way that Keita is treated: in essence, he’s a
Model Minority. Be talented and
polite like Keita, the story seems to say, and the ugly
realities of life as a refugee will cease to apply. If you’re living a substandard
life as a refugee, well, it’s just because you don’t have enough innate dignity
to make the right kind of people want to help you.”
What do you think of this opinion? Is it true? Does it apply to the way our
country treats refugees?
14. Do you think this story
will inspire people to take a look at the refugee crisis going on around the
world?
15: Quick round: What did you think of the book?
Is there anything you want to discuss that we missed? Also, do you have a
question for Lawrence Hill? (the leaders reserve the right to edit these
questions before sending them out). Sue will transcribe them.
Question for Lawrence Hill:
Why did you give Viola your
own last name? Does she represent you in
anyway in the story?
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