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RMC Book Club

Use this guide to foster book club discussions

Overview of A Wizard of Earthsea

cover of a wizard of earthsea

Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world.

This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.

With stories as perennial and universally beloved as The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of The Rings—but also unlike anything but themselves—Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea novels are some of the most acclaimed and awarded works in literature. They have received accolades such as the National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, the Nebula Award, and many more honors, commemorating their enduring place in the hearts and minds of readers and the literary world alike.

The RMC Book Club read A Wizard of Earthsea during the 2024 J-Term. The discussion questions guiding our conversation are below.

A Wizard of Earthsea Discussion Questions

  1. Why is this world called Earthsea? Why might Le Guin have decided to set her story in such a world? 
  2. What do you think of Ged? 
  3. On the first page of the novel, we learn that Ged will eventually become Archmage and dragonlord. Doesn't this undercut a certain amount of suspense? Why would Le Guin tell us this? 
  4. What about Earthsea's system of magic? It seems to follow some very rigid rules, but are there times when it seems to not follow rules? Are there times when the magic appears to be unexplainable? 
  5. What is the significance of names? Why are names important?
  6. Why do Ged and Jasper quarrel? Who is to blame? Why do Ged and Vetch become friends? 
  7. There are several mentions of shadows even before Ged's attempt to raise the dead Princess Elfarran. What do these various shadows suggest about Ged? 
  8. Why does Ged choose to go to Roke?
  9. Discuss the meaning of Ged's two encounters with the Doorkeeper of Roke.
  10. Compare the evil of the Shadow with the evil of the Stone of Terrenon. Are they evil in the same way? How do they differ? (why can’t evil destroy evil?)
  11. What does Ged learn from his encounter with the dragon Yevaud? 
  12. Why do Ged and Vetch avoid using magic on their last voyage? 
  13. Were you surprised by what happens when Ged confronts the Shadow? Would you say that his realization is true of all human experience?
  14. What role does balance play in the world of earthsea? 
  15. When this book was published in 1968, diversity in fictional characters was not nearly as discussed as it is today. As an American author, Le Guin was writing during a time of change regarding racial acceptance (the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, just a few years earlier). Why do you think Le Guin chose to include characters of color in her books at this time?
  16. How do the various communities and lands differ from each other? Which land and culture did you connect most with? Which land and culture was most shocking to you?
  17. Does the book have a lesson for us? Is there a moral that we all can learn or is this story just about Ged's own quest?
  18. How does this compare to other YA fantasy novels? 
  19. Some of these questions were taken/adapted from the reader's guide to A Wizard of Earthsea provided by the National Endowment for the Arts: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Readers-Guide-WizardofEarthsea.pdf