While facing the prospect of a duel with a vengeful and powerful vampire, Harry also has to navigate the temptations posed by the return of a sexy ex-girlfriend, track a missing religious artifact, and honestly answer some difficult personal questions about faith. As the action builds relentlessly to a final, apocalyptic confrontation between the forces of good and evil, the narrative also explores thematic questions related to the value of personal integrity and the temptations of power.

1. Explain two situations in which Harry had to rely on faith to get through the situation. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. Discuss three examples in Death Masks where Harry or another character demonstrated integrity in dealing with a situation. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. Discuss, in depth, what you think draws people to power and why some people seem to need power and others ignore it. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Whenever reading a science fiction or fantasy novel, one must become familiar with new terminology that explains concepts or technology that is not a part of the "real" world. In the case of Death Masks, there is a great deal of new magical terms and familiar words with new meanings. Discuss the following:

1. Find five terms that are a part of the world of Death Masks that are a part of the language but mean something different. Define the words as used in Death Masks and compare those five words as to how they are currently used in the American English language.

2. How does the language of Death Masks from that of real world Chicago? Are there words you did not know in Death Masks? What? How do you learn their meanings? What does it mean to grasp a the meaning of a word through its context? Can you do that in Death Masks? Give an example of several words whose definition are made clear through the context of how the word is used.

3. There are ways of learning about a new world or time when reading a science fiction or fantasy novel. Discuss the ways you were able to understand the world of Death Masks through its vocabulary. Did you have to look up any words?

4. Were there any words you never really understood from Death Masks? Which ones? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Death Masks is one book in a series of novels involving Harry Dresden. Discuss the following.

1. What are a couple advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Use examples.

2. What are a couple disadvantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Use examples.

3. Do you prefer to read a stand alone book, or a series of books with the same main characters? Explain your response.

4. Do you think it is easier or more difficult (or about the same) to write a standalone book versus one in a series? Explain your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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