Messenger

Consider the title of the novel Messenger in context of the true name that Matty receives at the end of the novel. Why do you think Lois Lowry chose to title the novel Messenger, despite the fact that Matty’s true name is ultimately “Healer”? Consider the following questions as you formulate your response:

• How does the novel’s title create expectations for Matty’s character or the novel’s plot?
• For Matty, what does the role of messenger entail? What does the role of healer entail?
• How is the role of messenger similar to and different from that of healer? How do the two roles complement one another?
• Which character qualities of Matty’s enable him to be both a messenger and a healer?
• How do the motifs of messages and healing evolve in tandem with Matty’s character?
• How does the audience’s perception of the title’s significance change after reading the book?

Teaching Suggestion: This discussion may be concluded with a direction to connect the significance of the title to one or more of the novel’s major themes. For example, students may eventually conclude that being a messenger and healing both involve the capacity to facilitate connections between self and others, and both roles position Matty to reach people who are otherwise beyond reach.