The Magician's Elephant

The elephant knows that “where she was, was not where she belonged” (15). What other characters are searching for the place they belong? Discuss how they are “not where they belong.” What does belonging mean to them? Do they achieve belonging, or not? Support your answer.

At the beginning of the novel, the fortuneteller tells Peter that “the truth is forever changing (7), and Thomas the beggar sings that “things are not what they seem” (8). What do you think they mean? How do things that appear true at the beginning of the novel change by the end? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.

Dreams play a large role in the novel. Why do you think DiCamillo has so many characters experience dreams? Why are dreams important? Pick three different characters who experience dreams and discuss how their dream affects their actions or reflects their beliefs.