Tears of a Tiger

What role does a support system play in the novel? What does Draper imply are its benefits and limitations?

Andy claims that he is not intentionally a killer, but Robbie is still dead, so his intent does not matter. Does the moral center of the novel support Andy’s claim? Use the text to support your argument.

Write your own letter to a loved one who has passed away, or to someone who is no longer in your life. What would you say to them? What do you wish you had told them when they were part of your life?

Choose one event that happened in your life today. Write about the event in the four genres of this text. Once you have written about that event through a news article, a letter, an essay, and a transcript, reflect on what choices you made in each. How does the story you tell come through differently via each medium?

Andy experiences depression and suicidal thoughts throughout the novel, which was published in 1996. Today, individuals still face these challenges. Take a contemporary book published in the last five years that grapples with similar themes, and compare and contrast how they are portrayed in each book.

Consider the question asked in Chapter 20— what examples can you think of where the narrative flips the black/white dichotomy, and dark colors are “good” and light colors are “bad”? What are some examples where the stereotype is flipped, and how are the colors used differently?

Many people in Andy’s life have areas where they could improve their approaches, and the school is no different. Who are two adults in the school who could do better? What could they do to better respond to Andy and his friends? What systemic changes is Hazelwood High School in need of?

Research underage drunk driving statistics where you live. Then, create an informational pamphlet that you could give to others to educate them on the topic. Make sure you include resources that can help them as well as conveying the risks and statistics.