Unlike the characters in many fantasy novels, those in The Last Unicorn are not black and white, but colored with complex hues. The motivations of Mommy Fortuna and King Haggard may provide interesting topics of conversation, as may the different ways in which Schmendrick and Molly Grue relate to the unicorn.

Comparing The Last Unicorn to other fantasy novels and familiar fairy tales may also provide fuel for debate. The Lord of the Rings will be familiar to many readers, and the two novels have many points of comparison. Other novels that address common themes or employ similar techniques are R. A. MacAvoy's Tea With a Black Dragon, Gordon Dickson's The Dragon and the George, and William Goldman's The Princess Bride.

1. Does the unicorn's gender have a significant impact on the novel? How would the novel have been different if the unicorn were male?

2. How effectively...