The Night Circus

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

1. Fate or free will? The question of whether our lives are predestined or if we write our own destinies is a common theme across literature. What stories are you familiar with that address this question? What answers did the authors provide?

Teaching Suggestion: It might be helpful to have some examples of stories on hand that pose this question to guide students into the discussion. Some suggested titles include Romeo and Juliet, Oedipus Rex, Macbeth, The Alchemist, Fahrenheit 451, The Fellowship of the Rings, Holes, Kindred, the Harry Potter series, Good Omens, and A Wrinkle in Time. It might also benefit students to explore the resources below prior to starting or continuing the discussion.

• This NPR article discusses the complexities of the question of fate versus free will.
• This 11-minute video by Schooling Online provides an in-depth analysis of the theme of fate in Romeo and Juliet.

2. What impacts our perception of time? Why does it seem “to fly” at times and drag at others? What options do authors have when dealing with time in their novels?

Teaching Suggestion: It might be helpful to have a personal example prepared in response to the second question above to help students enter the discussion.

• This article approaches the conversation about time through its scientific definition, the arrow of time, time dilation, time travel, time perception, and the beginning and end of time.
• This article from Scientific American explores the subjective experience of time and how the brain, energy, and emotional asymmetry affect it.

Personal Connection Prompt

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

What is your view of magic? Is it real, or merely an illusion by a skillful practitioner? Reflect on a time when you or someone you know experienced something that might be considered “magical.” What was your initial reaction? How did you explain the phenomenon to yourself? What do you think about the experience now?

Teaching Suggestion: It might be helpful to point out that magic could simply be something the students did not understand when they were younger. You might provide a few examples in advance from science and nature to help students develop their understanding of the prompt, like science experiments, rainbows, meteor showers, and/or metamorphosis. The sources below may also be used as entry points for those who need help generating ideas.

• This article from The Discoverer includes descriptions and images of the world’s natural wonders.
• This 10-minute video demonstrates a variety of magic tricks and science experiments.

Differentiation Suggestion: It may be helpful to create small discussion groups composed of students with diverse abilities. This could help writers generate ideas and guide their peers through discussion-leading and note-taking. Alternatively, consider providing a personal example to start a class-wide discussion.