What books did you enjoy most as a teenager?
I have always been a voracious reader. As a young teen I loved mysteries and read every Nancy Drew at the library. From there I graduated to reading Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie. I’ve also always loved science fiction and fantasy. A couple of favorite sci-fis from my teen years are
More Than Human
, by Theodore Sturgeon, and
Dune
, by Frank Herbert. As far as fantasies go, E. R. Eddison’s
The Worm Ouroborous
and his Zimiamvian trilogy, plus many re-readings of
Alice in Wonderland
and
Through the Looking Glass
, by Lewis Carroll. Dystopians that I read then were
1984
, by George Orwell, and
Fahrenheit 451
, by Ray Bradbury.
• Do you think that Nina’s mom should have revealed the truth sooner? Why do you think she kept it a secret for so long? Would you have done the same?
• Do you think girls are judged by appearance and gender? Do you think boys are judged in the same manner? What role do you believe the media plays in this? What role do you play in this?
• Despite Nina’s concerns, Sandy embraced the media’s image of how a girl should look and act when they turn sixteen. Have you ever been in a similar situation? Can you give an example of how you bought into a trend despite your better judgment?
• If you were turning sixteen in this society, how would you feel? Are you a Sandy or a Nina?
• With the recent influx of dystopian literature do you think the plot of
XVI
is plausible? Are we moving toward this type of society?
• Do you see any similarities between our current society and the society that Nina resides in? What distinguishes one from the other? What makes either society undesirable?
• The government’s change of legal consent and the unequal treatment of women are left unexplored in
XVI
. What are your theories as to how this happened?
• Teens and sexuality/sexual education is a growing issue in America. The age at which kids are experimenting with sex is getting younger and younger. Discuss the consequences this is having on individuals and on our society in general.