The Sparrow

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

CHAPTERS 1-7

Reading Check

1. Why does Sophia have a broker? How does this inform her motivations at this point in the novel?

2. What are the effects of Emilio’s physical injuries on his overall well-being?

Short Answer 

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Discuss at least two differences between the Emilio Sandoz of 2019 (pre-Rakhat) and the Emilio Sandoz of 2059 (post-Rakhat).

2. How does a shared love of learning and awe bring together the small crew who go to Rakhat?

3. What is the role of romantic relationships in Emilio’s life?

Paired Resource

“Roman Catholicism: Theology and Colonization”

• This open-access 2004 entry by G. Scott Davis from the Encyclopedia of Religion and War discusses the relationship between Roman Catholic missions, empire, and colonization.
• This resource connects to the novel’s themes of God’s Will Versus Human Volition and The Price for Following God.
• What context does this article lend to the prior Jesuit missions? How does it affect your understanding of the Jesuit mission to Rakhat?

CHAPTERS 8-15

Reading Check

1. What is “horizon deprivation”? Why is it significant to Emilio?

2.