Group work on Orson Scott Card's "The Porcelain Salamander"

Break up into small groups. Delegate one or more members of your group to (1) prepare a summary of your group's discussion and (2) make a list of your group's members

Discuss your answers to the following questions.

1. Was the man who cursed Kiren morally evil for cursing her (in a world where curses have efficacy)? Why or why not? What condemnations or excuses did your group bring up to answer this question? Which were most convincing? Why?

2. Evaluate the moral goodness of the major characters in this story (name them if you can; if not, find another way to refer to them). Which theory (or theories) of moral value (discussed in class or in Wellman, ch. 6, or brought up in your group) makes (or make) the most sense out of your group's responses?

3. The narrator states, on the last page of the story, that the salamander's heart was full. What do you think was in the salamander's heart?

4. Are the only beings with moral values persons? If something we have previously understood to be a non-personal being shows what we take to be moral value, do you think we will or should start thinking of that being as a person? Why or why not?

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