The Sword in the Tree

How does the novel examine the code of chivalry (See: Background)? How do various characters uphold, or diverge from, this code of behavior and values?

How does the author use setting? How are places such as Weldon Castle, the forest, and/or Camelot depicted, and what is their role in Shan’s journey?

Choose one of the secondary characters in the novel, such as Nappus, Lady Marian, or Magnus. How are they characterized? What is their role and wider significance in the text?

Shan takes his status as his father’s heir seriously. How does the novel examine conceptions of identity and familial ties?

While Shan lives in a strictly hierarchical society, with royalty and aristocracy at the top and the rural peasantry at the bottom, the novel suggests that social rank alone does not guarantee moral or chivalrous conduct. How does the novel interrogate social hierarchies?

Shan and Uncle Lionel have very different conceptions of power. How does The Sword in the Tree examine the nature of rightful power versus the abuse of power?

In what ways is The Sword in the Tree a coming-of-age story? What elements and tropes of coming-of-age stories appear in the text?

One of the story’s themes is The Importance of Fighting for Justice. How does the novel explore the contrasts between justice and injustice and/or social order versus chaos?