execuThe ThinTioner - media.hdp.hbgusa.commedia.hdp.hbgusa.com/titles/assets/reading_group... · he doesn’t save Tel Hasani, Jebel himself will die. How does Jebel’s attitude

The Thin

execuTionereducator’s guide

by Darren Shan

curriculum connections

D honor

D Tolerance

D overcoming challenges

Ages: 15 & up

The Thin execuTioner

Discussion Questions

1. Jebel hates the fact that he is judged by his size, looks,

and status. How does he judge Bastina and Debbat Alg?

Do his judgments prove to be unjustified?

2. When Jebel first meets Tel Hasani and his family, how

are Jebel’s long-held stereotypes of slaves challenged?

How does J’An Nasrim help Jebel overcome his rudeness

in order to achieve his goal of obtaining a slave to

accompany him on his quest?

3. Most of the groups of people that Tel Hasani and Jebel

meet have a belief in a God or gods, yet human life

seems to be of little value. How is murder justified by

the people they meet? Why do the gods they worship

condone killing?

4. Why does Jebel’s animosity toward Tel Hasani begin to

lessen after the close call on their lives in Shihat? What

is Jebel beginning to realize about Tel Hasani?

5. When Jebel risks his life to save Tel Hasani against the

Mamlah (page 182) and in the street in Disi (page 270)

his actions stem from selfishness. Jebel knows that if

he doesn’t save Tel Hasani, Jebel himself will die. How

does Jebel’s attitude toward Tel Hasani differ from Tel

Hasani’s attitude toward Jebel? What is the basis for the

difference?

6. Human greed spawns the violence and bloodshed

throughout the story. What do the greed mongers

Masters Blair and Bush receive for their final show of

greed? Is Jebel justified in what he does? Why or why

not? How does the decision Jebel makes affect his

future?

7. What do the Moharrag villagers and the bat people

have in common? How do Tel Hasani and Jebel use that

knowledge to escape from Qasr Bint? How does their

connection to animals affect their values in comparison

to the other societies Jebel encounters?

8. Jebel’s meeting with Rakhebt Wadak, the god of death,

frightens him at first. What deal does Jebel make with

him? Is the meeting real or is it a dream? Justify your

answer.

9. While Jebel’s resolve wavers as he seeks to complete his

quest and reclaim his honor, Tel Hasani never wavers in

his desire to save his family from lives of slavery. Of the

two, who shows more honor and respect? How do the

two men become equal in the end?

10. What do both gods Jebel meets on his quest, Rakhebt

Wadak and Sabbah Eid, tell him about their existence

and who they are? What does this reveal about the

different beliefs of the people Jebel and Tel Hasani

meet on their quest?

11. On Jebel’s return he is received warmly by his family

and the Wadi Alg. Why don’t any of them really believe

that he has completed his quest? Why does the Wadi

Alg not question Jebel?

12. When Jebel proves himself by winning the mukhayret and

becoming the new executioner, what is the first shocking

action he takes? Why does Jebel’s final decision not to

execute anyone cause his family great shame? Is there any

irony in Jebel’s decision?

Activities

Quest Encounters

Jebel leaves his home in shame and does not say good-bye

to his family or offer any explanation for his quest. Ask

students to divide into small groups and give each group

an equal portion of the book to create a timeline of Jebel’s

quest, including the people he meets, the places he stops,

the encounters he has, and the growth he experiences

along the quest. Then ask students to creatively illustrate

their portion of the timeline to display with the other

sections, including 3D elements as well as text and images.

Postcards from the Quest

Jebel and Tel Hasani receive help from people along the

way, but they are also shunned and abused by others.

Ask students to brainstorm a list of people who helped

them on their quest and those that hindered them.

Then ask students to select one person from the list to

write an oversized postcard from either Jebel or Tel Hasani.

Express their feelings about what the person did to either

help or hinder them and any lessons that were learned

from the experience. Have students use cardstock for

their postcards and add elements of the postcard format

including illustrations. Display the postcards on

a bulletin board.

Here’s Jebel…Where do you stand?

On page 347, Jebel says, “I don’t know what I am, but I

am not what I was.” His experiences on the quest have

changed him to the point that he no longer recognizes

himself. In small groups ask students to complete three

columns on one sheet of paper. In the first column,

students should list Jebel’s beliefs when he started his

quest. In the second column, list his new beliefs; in the

third column, what happened to change his belief. Have

each group create a poster collage visually representing the

before and after beliefs of Jebel. Then share and display

their collages.

What’s your Theme?

Honor, tolerance, friendship, shame, family, and

overcoming challenges could all be themes of The Thin

Executioner. Ask students to select one of the ideas above,

one of their own, or use a famous quote and write a

thematic statement and a paragraph justifying it with

support from the book. Divide students into groups of four

or five to share and discuss their thematic statements and

paragraphs.

An Artist Rendering

The imagery in the book during the fights, in the villages,

and in other adventures on the quest can be seen with

words in the mind’s eye. Ask students to select a

descriptive passage from the novel to illustrate in detail

using pen and ink, chalk, watercolor, or pencil. Each

student should also write a caption for their drawing.

Have students share their drawings with the class.

The Thin execuTioner

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www.lbschoolandlibrary.com

The Thin execuTioner

In a kingdom of merciless tyrants, Jebel Rum’s family is honored as royalty because his father is the executioner. But Rashed Rum is near retirement. And when he goes, there will be a contest to determine his successor. It is a contest that thin, puny Jebel has no chance of winning. Humiliated and ashamed, Jebel sets out on a quest to the faraway home of a legendary fire god to beg for inhuman powers so that he can become the most lethal of men. He must take with him a slave, named Tel Hesani, to be sacrificed to the god. It will be a dark and brutal journey filled with lynch mobs, suicide cults, terrible monsters, and worse, monstrous men. But to Jebel, the risk is worth it. To retrieve his honor . . . to wield unimaginable power . . . to become . . . the thin executioner.

Inspired by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, international bestselling master of horror Darren Shan takes readers on a thrilling, fast-paced journey into a nightmarish world where compassion and kindness are the greatest crimes of all.

about the author

Darren Shan grew up in Limerick,

Ireland, and wrote his first book

when he was in high school.

Although that debut effort was

never published, he went on to

become a full-time writer. His

first books for young readers,

Cirque Du Freak, an epic saga

about warring vampires, became

a New York Times bestselling

series, which was made into

the movie Cirque Du Freak:

The Vampire’s Assistant. Darren

followed up with the gruesome

Demonata, also a New York Times

bestselling series. His novels

have sold over 15 million copies

worldwide. Darren lives in Ireland,

where he writes and collects art,

comics, and film.

Darren invites you to visit his

website at www.darrenshan.com.

also available: Darren shan

Educator’s Guide prepared by Anne Quirk.

ISBN: 978-0-316-07865-8

Lord Loss ISBN: 978-0-316-01233-1

Demon Thief ISBN: 978-0-316-01238-6

Slawter ISBN: 978-0-316-01388-8

about the book