Monkey Beach

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The Haisla people are an Indigenous tribe living along Canada’s west coast. List five things you think might be true about the Haisla, labeling each “know for sure” or “just guessing.”

Teaching Suggestion: Monkey Beach is set among the Haisla people, and their cultural practices and beliefs figure heavily in its action. Students are unlikely to know much about the Haisla. This prompt is intended to help them acquire basic background knowledge that will help them interpret and engage with the story. After they attempt initial answers to this prompt, you might share some or all of the resources listed below to fill in any gaps in their knowledge.

• This article offers an in-depth discussion of the Haisla’s history and culture.
• These brief videos, created and hosted by the Haisla Nation, offer visual overviews of parts of Haisla territory: 2-minute video showing Kitamaat Village and the nearby waters; 1-minute video showing the Douglas Channel; 1-minute video showing totem poles and forested setting.
• This 6-minute video, created and hosted by the Haisla Nation, shares the Haisla origin story.

2. What is “gothic” literature? Can you name any examples of Canadian Gothic?

Teaching Suggestion: Because of its explicit attempt to speak about the ghosts of the past and the specter of colonialism, Robinson’s work can be more fully understood when placed into the context of Canadian Gothic literature. Students are likely familiar with the general idea of the gothic and may also know something about gothic literature, specifically. Understanding its significance to Robinson’s novel, however, requires a more specialized understanding of how gothic literature has manifested within the Canadian canon. After students offer initial responses to this prompt, you might offer them one or both of the resources below to fill in the gaps in their understanding.

• This article explains the origins and characteristics of Canadian Gothic literature.
• This article summarizes and comments on Cynthia Sugars’s seminal academic work on the Canadian Gothic.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Do you, personally, believe in any supernatural beings—from religion, folklore, or otherwise? How do you think this might impact your reading of a text that includes supernatural beings?

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt asks students to consider how their personal beliefs might impact their experience with a novel like Monkey Beach. Students may be more comfortable answering the questions individually, in writing, as some may be hesitant to honestly share beliefs regarding the supernatural with their classmates. If you wish to create a discussion around this prompt after students have answered it individually, you might ask students for their thoughts about how readers can stay open to and enjoy literature that conflicts with their personal beliefs and about why this openness is beneficial.