Wicked: Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Elphaba is stereotyped and judged based on her green skin. Have you ever felt like you were unfairly judged based on something superficial? Did you find her response(s) plausible?

2. As Elphaba begins to realize the prominent guiding hand of Yackle in her life’s events, she starts to question how much autonomy she has and how much has been dictated by fate and destiny. What are your opinions about the balance between free will and fate (however broadly defined)?

3. Elphaba leaves Shiz University to become active in the Animal Rights movement. Have you ever encountered a circumstance where you had to give something up to pursue something you are personally or morally compelled by? Do you feel you made the right choice?

4. Which characters do you relate to most, and why? Think about both major characters (for example, Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, and Boq) and minor characters (for example, Nanny, Nessarose, Melena, Frexspar, Turtle Heart, Sarima, Liir, and more).

5. Did this novel change how you think about “wickedness” and “goodness”?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Wicked examines how “wickedness” is culturally constructed. How does this novel nuance the meaning of the word “wicked”? What might be the real-world consequences of thinking more deeply about how and why people are trained to view things or people as “wicked”?

2. In large part, this novel is a social commentary on contemporary American society. What parallels do you see between the politics and culture of Wicked and your contemporary society? How does casting these issues into a fantasy setting help Maguire candidly explore them and their repercussions?

3. How does this novel represent ethnic, physical, and sexual diversity? How do their depictions contribute to the novel’s themes, and what point do you think the novel is making about real-world societies?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. This novel moves widely across both temporal and geographical space, detailing the length and breadth of Elphaba’s life. How does this expansive temporal and geographical setting add to the novel in terms of narrative structure, character development, theme-building, world-building, etc.?

2. Compare the romantic relationships in the novel. For instance, what bonds Fiyero and Elphaba, and how does that compare to the romance between Melena, Frexspar, and Turtle Heart? What is the thematic significance of romance in a novel rife with political and social commentary?

3. Discuss the motif of memory loss, particularly as it relates to trauma. For instance, Melena does not remember if she was coerced into conceiving Elphaba and thus doesn't remember who Elphaba’s father is. How does this trauma and memory loss affect the development of the characters?

4. Discuss the role of technology in this novel. What symbols related to technology appear throughout the novel and what do they mean? How do Ozians view technology and integrate it into their mythology?

5. Discuss Glinda and Elphaba as foils to one another in terms of personality, moral convictions, relationship to societal power, privilege (or lack thereof), etc.