Objectives

• Analyse how Yarros constructs Violet Sorrengail as a protagonist whose physical vulnerability is set against intellectual and emotional resilience, using close reference to Chapters 1–3.
• Explain how the dragon-bonding hierarchy — Threshing, Tairn, Andarna — functions as a structural metaphor for power and identity in Chapters 6–12.
• Trace how the relationship between Violet and Xaden develops from antagonism to complicity, identifying the textual moments in Chapters 13–23 where the dynamic shifts.
• Evaluate how Yarros uses the Resson climax and the revelation of the failing wards (Chapters 24–25) to reframe the novel's treatment of betrayal and institutional power.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph — and ultimately an essay — that embeds quotation, names technique, and connects evidence to a thematic argument about Fourth Wing.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Surviving the Parapet: How Yarros Constructs Violet in Chapters 1–3

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Without opening the novel, think of three adjectives that best capture a typical fantasy hero. Next, consider three adjectives that describe someone with a connective-tissue disorder who has devoted her life to the library. Keep both lists handy — you’ll need them in ten minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the moment in Chapter 2 when Violet calculates the angle of the Parapet's planks before she steps onto them: "I study the bridge, noting the way the wind hits the ropes at an angle, the way the wood has been worn smooth in the centre." Read the sentence aloud, then annotate on the board: the verb "study" positions Violet as an analyst rather than a victim; the subordinate clauses slow the prose to reflect her careful pace; the detail about "worn smooth in the centre" indicates she is observing the environment where others have perished. Show how to construct a Point–Evidence–Analysis sentence from this moment, identifying the techniques (free indirect thought, cumulative subordination) before linking it to the theme of survival through intelligence.

   Independent task

   Using the two lists from the do-now as your starting point, write two full analytical paragraphs — each at least eight sentences — arguing that Yarros deliberately subverts the fantasy-hero archetype through Violet's characterization in Chapters 1–3. Your first paragraph must embed at least two quotations from Chapter 1 (Violet's conversation with her mother Lilith or her description of her own body) and name at least one technique. Your second paragraph must embed at least one quotation from Chapter 2 or 3 (the Parapet crossing itself) and explain how Yarros uses sentence structure or narrative pace to reinforce Violet's method of survival. Underline every quotation and circle every technique label.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, name the single most important technique Yarros uses in Chapters 1–3 to stop the reader pitying Violet, and explain in a second sentence why that technique achieves that effect.

2. Lesson 2: Who Chooses Whom: Power, Identity and the Threshing in Chapters 6–12

   55 min · ch. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

   Do now

   Read the following sentence silently and then answer the two questions below it without discussing with anyone. The sentence is from Chapter 10: 'Dragons do not bond with the weak.'

   Question 1: Who gets to define 'weak' in the world of Basgiath?

   Question 2: Does Tairn's choice of Violet in Chapter 10 confirm or challenge that definition? How do you know from the text?

   Teacher input

   Model a structural analysis of the Threshing sequence in Chapter 10, paying special attention to the moment Tairn speaks directly to Violet for the first time: "You will do." Display this two-word sentence on the board. Highlight how its brevity sharply contrasts with the elaborate ceremony around it, reinforcing Tairn's authority. Discuss how the use of the second-person pronoun "You" sets Violet apart from the crowd, and how the future tense "will" implies that Violet lacks agency in this bonding process. Then, illustrate how Yarros complicates this by having Violet think, "I wasn't sure if I'd just been chosen or conscripted," showcasing how to interpret irony and free indirect thought as methods for delving into the theme of power.

   Independent task

   Write three analytical paragraphs — each with a minimum of six sentences — examining how the dragon-bonding hierarchy in Chapters 6–12 serves as a metaphor for power and identity. In the first paragraph, focus on the social hierarchy of the Riders Quadrant prior to Threshing, referencing a specific moment from Chapters 6 or 7 that involves Jack Barlowe or the upperclassmen's right to kill first-years. The second paragraph should delve into Tairn's bonding with Violet in Chapter 10, incorporating at least two quotations and identifying at least one structural or linguistic technique used in the text. Finally, the third paragraph must explore what Andarna's unexpected bond contributes to the discussion: does the presence of a second, smaller, less intimidating dragon complicate or reinforce Violet's newfound power? Include at least one quotation from Chapter 12. Remember to attach your annotated do-now to the back of your paragraphs before submitting.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining whether Tairn's choice of Violet increases or decreases her power within the Riders Quadrant hierarchy, and cite one word or phrase from Chapters 10–12 that supports your answer.

3. Lesson 3: From Enemy to Conspirator: Tracing the Xaden–Violet Dynamic in Chapters 13–23

   55 min · ch. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

   Do now

   Without looking at the novel, rank the following four moments in the order you think they occur, then write a sentence predicting how things change between each moment: (a) Xaden threatens Violet on the Parapet; (b) Xaden and Violet are forced to partner in the Cliffs of Dralor war-games exercise; (c) Violet discovers Xaden's marked-ones secret; (d) Xaden and Violet's first moment of physical intimacy. Keep your ranking to yourself—you'll compare it with the text during the lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model a tracking analysis on the war-games partnership scene in Chapter 22, where Violet and Xaden must work together at the Cliffs of Dralor. Focus on the exchange: 'I don't need your protection.' / 'No. But you have it anyway.' Annotate on the board: the short, direct sentences create a rhythm of challenge and response. Xaden's use of 'anyway' acknowledges Violet's point but maintains his position — it serves as a compromise while illustrating a shift in their dynamic. Show students how to use this moment as a turning point in a tracking essay: what was their relationship like before Chapter 22, what does this exchange indicate, and what expectations does it set for the reader? Demonstrate how to write a topic sentence that highlights the shift rather than simply describing it.

   Independent task

   Write a structured tracking essay consisting of four paragraphs, each with a minimum of seven sentences. The essay should trace how Violet and Xaden's relationship evolves from antagonism to a dangerous complicity throughout Chapters 13 to 23. In Paragraph 1, establish the initial antagonism by including at least one quotation from Chapters 13 to 15 that highlights Xaden's role as wingleader and his resentment towards Lilith Sorrengail's daughter. Paragraph 2 should identify a key turning point in the relationship, using at least one quotation from Chapters 16 to 19 to illustrate how the dynamic starts to change, and name the technique Yarros employs to signal this shift. In Paragraph 3, analyze the partnership formed at the Cliffs of Dralor in Chapter 22, treating it as a structural hinge. Embed the exchange modeled in teacher input and explain what it reveals about the tension between loyalty and self-preservation. Finally, Paragraph 4 must evaluate the costs of this relationship for Violet by the end of Chapter 23. Consider whether Yarros presents love as a source of empowerment or as a vulnerability. Make sure to include at least one quotation and link your response to the theme of betrayal.

   Exit ticket

   Write two sentences: the first names the chapter in which you believe the Xaden–Violet relationship crosses from antagonism into something more complicated, and the second gives one piece of textual evidence from that chapter to justify your choice.

4. Lesson 4: The Wards Are Failing: Institutional Betrayal and the Resson Revelation in Chapters 24–25

   55 min · ch. 24, 25

   Do now

   Write for four minutes, without stopping, in response to this question: if a government concealed the existence of a dangerous enemy from its own soldiers to maintain political power, would that be seen as betrayal, necessary deception, or a combination of both — and does your perspective shift if the soldiers are teenagers? At this stage, you don't need to reference the novel; instead, focus on formulating a stance that you will evaluate against the text later.

   Teacher input

   Model a contextual-political reading of the moment in Chapter 25 when Violet confronts the reality that General Lilith Sorrengail and Navarre's leadership have been aware of the failing wards and have hidden the venin threat from all the cadets at Basgiath. Focus on the line: 'We were trained to defend a lie.' On the board, point out how the passive construction 'were trained' removes agency from Violet — and, by extension, every cadet — casting them as mere tools of the state. The phrase 'defend a lie' blurs the line between military duty and complicity. Notably, the first-person plural 'We' marks Violet's shift from speaking as an individual to expressing a collective identity, emphasizing that the betrayal stems from the institution rather than personal failings. Demonstrate how to link this reading to the novel's wider critique of authority figures — specifically Lilith and the War College leadership — and explore the theme of power.

   Independent task

   Write four analytical paragraphs — each at least seven sentences — evaluating how Yarros uses Chapters 24 and 25 to reframe the novel's treatment of betrayal and institutional power. Paragraph 1 must establish what Violet witnesses at Resson in Chapter 24 (the venin, the reality of the failing wards) and analyse how Yarros uses Violet's narrative voice to convey the horror of realising the truth, embedding at least one quotation. Paragraph 2 must focus on Lilith Sorrengail as a figure of institutional power: using at least one quotation from Chapter 25, analyse how Yarros presents the general's deception — is Lilith a villain, a pragmatist, or something more ambiguous? Name at least one technique. Paragraph 3 must consider Xaden's parallel deception: he too has withheld the truth from Violet. Using at least one quotation from Chapters 24 or 25, explain how Yarros distinguishes — or refuses to distinguish — between state betrayal and personal betrayal. Paragraph 4 must evaluate the novel's ending: does the revelation of the failing wards resolve or deepen the theme of betrayal? Connect your answer to your do-now position and state whether the text changed your view.

   Exit ticket

   In two full sentences, explain whether Yarros presents General Lilith Sorrengail's concealment of the venin threat as a greater betrayal than Xaden's, and name one technique from Chapter 24 or 25 that shapes your reading.

5. Lesson 5: Sustained Argument: Writing a Full Essay on Power, Betrayal or Survival in Fourth Wing

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

   Do now

   Read the essay question below closely, and take five minutes to jot down a bullet-point plan that includes your introduction claim, three or four paragraph topics, and a conclusion — all before the teacher begins speaking: 'How does Yarros portray the relationship between Violet Sorrengail and the power structures she navigates — the Sorrengail family, the Riders Quadrant, and Navarre's military leadership — to examine the cost of survival?' Be sure to include references to at least three chapters in your plan.

   Teacher input

   Model the opening paragraph of a response to the essay question using Chapter 2's Parapet crossing as the anchor evidence. Write live on the board: 'As soon as Violet Sorrengail steps onto the Parapet in Chapter 2, Yarros shows that survival in Navarre is tied to institutional coercion: this crossing isn't a freely chosen rite of passage, but one imposed by a mother who is also a general, blurring the lines between family and state.' Annotate: the topic sentence identifies the technique (the structural irony of the Parapet serving both as a source of family pressure and a military test), the theme (survival), and the text (Chapter 2) all at once. Demonstrate how the paragraph includes a quotation, identifies a technique, and concludes with a sentence that leads into the next paragraph's argument — showcasing the cohesive nature of an essay rather than simply listing separate points.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay of at least five paragraphs addressing the question: 'How does Yarros use the relationship between Violet Sorrengail and the institutions of power she inhabits — the Sorrengail family, the Riders Quadrant, and Navarre's military leadership — to explore the cost of survival?' Ensure your essay meets all the following criteria.

   Introduction (at least four sentences): Clearly state your main argument, mention the three institutions you will examine, and outline the structural arc of the novel — from Parapet to Resson — as the basis for your analysis.

   Paragraph 1 (at least eight sentences): Analyze how Lilith Sorrengail's directive in Chapter 1 for Violet to join the Riders Quadrant instead of the Scribes positions the family as a powerful institution; include at least two quotations from Chapters 1–3 and reference at least one literary technique.

   Paragraph 2 (at least eight sentences): Examine how the hierarchy within the Riders Quadrant — including the right of upperclassmen to kill first-years, the Threshing event in Chapter 10, and Jack Barlowe's aggression — frames survival as a constant negotiation with institutional violence; incorporate at least two quotations from Chapters 4–12.

   Paragraph 3 (at least eight sentences): Investigate how Navarre's military leadership utilizes secrecy — through the failing wards and the hidden venin threat — as a means of exerting institutional power over its cadets; embed at least two quotations from Chapters 24–25 and identify at least one structural or linguistic technique.

   Paragraph 4 (at least six sentences): Assess whether Violet's survival by the conclusion of Chapter 25 indicates a victory over these institutions or a deeper entrapment within them; this section must reference Xaden Riorson's parallel deception and link it to your overall argument.

   Conclusion (at least three sentences): Revisit the claim made in your introduction, articulate what the novel ultimately reveals about the cost of surviving within systems of power, and identify one technique that Yarros employs throughout the entire novel — not limited to a single chapter — to reinforce this argument.

   Your essay should be 700–900 words in length. Be sure to underline every quotation and label each technique in the margins.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your conclusion and write one honest sentence identifying the single weakest moment in your essay — the place where your argument is least supported by evidence — and one sentence explaining exactly what you would add or change if you had ten more minutes.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can name a specific technique from Chapters 1–3 and explain its effect on reader sympathy — looking for technique label plus effect, not plot summary.
• Lesson 2 do-now ranking and prediction: checks prior understanding of how power hierarchies are established before formal teaching — looking for awareness that 'weak' is a socially constructed category within the Riders Quadrant.
• Lesson 3 tracking paragraphs: checks whether students can identify a pivot point in the Xaden–Violet dynamic and support it with a specific quotation from Chapters 13–23, rather than describing the relationship in general terms.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: checks whether students can distinguish between institutional and personal betrayal as Yarros presents them in Chapters 24–25, and whether they can name a technique rather than a plot event.
• Lesson 5 bullet-point plan (do-now): checks whether students can construct a multi-paragraph argument that names specific chapters and connects evidence to a thematic claim before they begin writing.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
• RL.11-12.3 — analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.5 — analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• W.11-12.1 — write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — make a defensible claim about a literary text that can be supported by textual evidence.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — explain the function of figurative language in a literary text.
• Narration (NAR-1) — explain the function of point of view, including how the narrator's reliability, limitations, and biases shape meaning.
• Character (CHR-1) — explain the function of a character, including how characters develop or change over the course of a text.
• Structure (STR-1) — explain the function of structure in a text, including how an author sequences and paces events to shape meaning.

AQA

• AO1 — read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response, using textual references including quotations to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
• AO5 — communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, selecting and adapting tone, style and register for different forms, purposes and audiences.

Edexcel

• AO1 — articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts.
• AO3 — demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
• AO4 — explore connections across literary texts.

IB Lit

• Criterion A — knowledge, understanding and interpretation: demonstrate detailed knowledge of the text and develop a convincing interpretation supported by well-chosen evidence.
• Criterion B — analysis and evaluation: analyse the effects of literary features with detailed and convincing evaluation of how they contribute to meaning.
• Criterion C — focus and organisation: sustain a clear and convincing line of argument with effective organisation throughout.