They Both Die at the End

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity. 

ACTIVITY 1: “Start with the End”

One hallmark of Greek tragedy is the inclusion of fate. Achilles of The Iliad knows that he will either live a short but glorious life or a long but boring one. The title of Adam Silvera’s novel immediately tells readers that both of the main characters will die at the end, so readers begin with this knowledge as they follow the characters through their End Day.

• Start by taking out a sheet of paper. Choose a movie or book that you’ve seen or read more than once. Take five minutes and answer the following questions:
• How was the second viewing/reading different from the first?
• What effect did knowing the ending have on your experience of the story?
• What effect does knowing the ending have on your first read-through of a story like They Both Die at the End?
• Come back together as a class and share your answers. Take a vote: Is it better to know the ending or not?
• Then, think about whether you would feel similarly about knowing about your own death ahead of time.