The False Prince

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

Pre-Reading “Icebreaker”

Patriotism is a double-edged sword in The False Prince. In some ways, love of country is a positive force, as with King Eckbert, a character whose patriotism compels him to make personal sacrifices for the greater good of Carthya. In other ways, patriotism causes dangerous tunnel vision in characters like Bevin Conner, a man who will protect and serve Carthya at any cost–even if it involves loss of innocent human life.

• Do you feel a sense of pride for your country? What are some markers of patriotism that you can think of in your own life? How do they make you feel?
• Can you think of any fictional adventure heroes whose patriotism brought them conflict?

Teaching Suggestion: Use this prompt to help students begin thinking about patriotism in their own lives, and how that resembles themes involving nationalism for Carthya in The False Prince. Be sure to provide them with examples in which patriotism evokes a sense of pride; for instance, students in the United States may associate a fireworks display on the Fourth of July or a visit to a monument or national park with this topic. Connect students’ examples and answers to the novel’s theme of Patriotism and Pride.

Post-Reading Analysis

The late 19th century English writer Lord Acton is best known for his remark that “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” (see “Letter to Archbishop Mandell Creighton, April 5, 1887”). This sentiment holds true within the world of The False Prince, where the desire for power—to rule Carthya—drives some characters to act unscrupulously. Throughout history, Lord Acton’s principle is clearly evident in dictatorships, systems of government in which one despotic leader rules a nation, typically using violence and other extreme measures to maintain order. Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, Fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini, and the Mongol Empire under Genghis Kahn are all examples of dictatorships.

• Determine 2-3 examples in history in which individuals use any means necessary to take power. How do these examples compare with the race for the throne in The False Prince?
• What characters, if they had taken the throne, potentially could have turned Carthya into a dictatorship?
• Do you think Sage will rule more democratically than either Prime Regent Veldergrath or King Eckbert?
• Do you think Sage’s experiences growing up in an orphanage might affect the way he rules Carthya?

Teaching Suggestion: If time allows, students can watch the following clips to help broaden their understanding of the various forms of government, and to understand the difference between a dictatorship and a democratic society. Connect students’ shared responses to the novel’s theme of Absolute Power as a Corrupting Force.

• This brief clip, “Understanding What Authoritarianism Is,” created by the Social Science Research Department of the University of Amsterdam, explains the concept of authoritarianism.
• This video, “Genghis Khan Explained in 8 Minutes,” gives a brief overview of one of the most powerful dictators of the ancient world.