Half Brother

Examine the theme of animal rights in Half Brother. How does the book challenge traditional views of how humans and animals should relate to each other? Use specific examples to explain your answer.

Discuss how Half Brother is a coming-of-age story. How does Ben learn, grow, and change as a character in the story? How is Half Brother a coming-of-age story for Zan? Where and how do their growths intersect, and where and how do they diverge?

Discuss the story's conflict between scientific progress and animal rights. How does the book deal with this complicated problem? What arguments does Half Brother make to support both sides of the issue?