Challenge 838

Covering Tracks

In Amber Ray’s If Wishes Were Horses, what is the function of magic so far? Is it operational, as in fantasy, or is it an image of the youngsters’ view of railroad construction?
In Mickey J. Corrigan’s Brave New Lit, how does the story satirize real-life events that have taken place at some universities?
In Michael Wooff’s The Ass and the Ox, what is the function of the ox’s journey, and why is it separate from that of the donkey and its party?
In Bill Kowaleski’s Dumping in the Woods on a Snowy Evening, how does the narrator’s outlook differ from that of Robert Frost’s poem?
In Kevin Stadt’s New Teacher:
1. Why does Jenny Brooks take medication? What is its effect on Dr. Strickland and Jenny’s mother? Would their attitude toward Jenny change if she didn’t have to take it?
2. What super-powers does William have? Would he be more or less frightening if he were a normal person?
In Mark Iles’ Amber Dawn:
1. What can readers infer about the history of android construction in this story?
2. What, exactly, is the conflict between the two types of “Ambers”?
3. Can a self-aware android have a theology when it knows precisely who its creators are? How does Victor Frankenstein’s creature handle it in Mary Shelley’s novel?