Objectives

• Analyse how Yarros uses Violet Sorrengail's first-person narration to position the reader's sympathies across the novel's opening chapters.
• Explain how the relationship between Xaden and Violet dramatises the tension between personal loyalty and institutional betrayal.
• Evaluate how Yarros presents the consequences of war through specific scenes involving Liam Mairi's death and the revelations about the wards.
• Trace how Violet's sense of identity shifts across the arc of Chapters 1–25, using precisely selected quotations as evidence.
• Write a sustained analytical essay that constructs a clear argument, embeds quotations grammatically, and evaluates authorial choices rather than retelling plot.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Violet's Voice: Narration, Sympathy and the World of Basgiath

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Read the first two paragraphs of Chapter One. Without doing any research, jot down three observations about the narrator: what she shares, what she keeps to herself, and one word that reflects the tone. You have five minutes—please hold off on discussing until then.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the Chapter One passage starting with 'I've never been the strongest rider' — the moment Violet recognizes her own physical fragility before the Parapet. Illustrate how Yarros employs free indirect discourse, blending the narrator's voice with Violet's thoughts, to evoke both intimacy and vulnerability. Highlight how the present-tense interjections ('I know what they're thinking') draw the reader in as a witness to her experience. Use the visualiser to annotate: focus on diction, sentence length, and shifts in pronouns.

   Independent task

   Students will annotate the passage from Chapter Two where Violet first connects with Tairn. They need to pinpoint three specific language choices made by Yarros—one focusing on word choice, another on sentence structure, and the last on imagery. For each choice, they should write two sentences explaining what that choice reveals about how Violet sees herself at this point in the novel. These three micro-analyses should be combined into a single coherent paragraph that contains at least 120 words, which the teacher will collect at the end of the lesson.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, name the narrative technique Yarros uses most prominently in Chapter One and explain in a second sentence why it is significant for the reader's relationship with Violet.

2. Lesson 2: The Architecture of Betrayal: Dain, Xaden and the Secret of the Marked Ones

   55 min · ch. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

   Do now

   Sure! Here's the humanized version of your request:

   Without looking at the book, list three characters who have either tricked Violet or been tricked by her by Chapter Eight. For each character, include a brief explanation of what information was kept secret and from whom. You have five minutes.

   Teacher input

   Model how to interpret the confrontation between Violet and Dain Aetos in Chapter Seven—particularly the moment when Dain confesses to reading her memories—as a key turning point. Demonstrate to students how Yarros employs dialogue punctuation and Violet's italicized internal thoughts to create two concurrent conversations: the verbal dispute and Violet's internal reassessment of trust. Annotate the passage on the board, highlighting the difference between Dain's words and Violet's perception, and pose the question: whose perspective is favored by the syntax?

   Independent task

   Using the confrontation in Chapter Seven and at least one additional instance from Chapters 8–10 where Xaden withholds information from Violet, students will compose a structured analytical paragraph of at least 150 words. The goal is to argue whether Yarros depicts Dain's betrayal or Xaden's secrecy as the more morally complex act. Students should incorporate at least two direct quotations, each introduced with a signal phrase, and conclude the paragraph with a sentence that assesses Yarros's intent instead of merely summarizing the plot. Final paragraphs will be submitted for written feedback.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence that completes the following stem without using the word 'shows': 'In Chapter Seven, Yarros uses Dain's admission to…'

3. Lesson 3: The Cost of War: Liam's Death, the Wards and What Survival Demands

   55 min · ch. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

   Do now

   Open to Chapter Fourteen. Read the first full page quietly. Note down: one observation about the pacing of the sentences, one thing you notice about what Violet leaves unsaid, and one question the passage brings up that you want addressed by the end of today’s lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model a reading of the passage in Chapter Fourteen where Violet processes Liam Mairi's death—focusing on the sentence, "He died so I could live, and I can't even grieve him properly." Highlight how Yarros uses the compound clause structure to illustrate Violet's psychological splitting: the recognition of sacrifice in the first clause and the self-condemnation in the second. This single sentence encapsulates the novel's war theme: survival does not equate to triumph. Annotate for caesura-like pauses, the weight of "properly," and the absence of Liam's dialogue from this point onward.

   Independent task

   Students will craft a comparative analytical paragraph of no less than 160 words that explores how Yarros conveys the human cost of war in Chapter Fourteen (Liam's death) and Chapter Seventeen (the revelation about the wards failing and its implications for the riders). They should incorporate at least two embedded quotations, one from each chapter, and their paragraph must contain a sentence discussing Yarros's choice to position these two revelations closely together. The paragraphs will be collected and returned along with a WWW/EBI comment.

   Exit ticket

   In two sentences, explain what the ward revelation in Chapter Seventeen adds to the reader's understanding of why Liam's death in Chapter Fourteen is presented as a tragedy rather than a heroic sacrifice.

4. Lesson 4: Power, Identity and the Dragon Bond: Violet and Tairn in the Final Arc

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 10, 21, 22

   Do now

   Take a look at the adjectives Violet uses to describe herself in Chapters One, Ten, and Twenty-One. Jot them down from memory or give them a quick skim. Then, write one sentence explaining if her self-image has changed, remained the same, or become more contradictory by Chapter Twenty-One, and provide one piece of evidence to support your argument.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the Chapter Twenty-One scene where Violet channels Tairn's power beyond her perceived physical limits. Pay attention to the verb choices — 'seized', 'tore', 'flooded' — and illustrate how Yarros employs a series of violent transitive verbs to transform Violet from a passive recipient of power into an active, albeit dangerous, agent. Highlight how this passage reinterprets the Chapter Two bonding scene: while Tairn previously chose Violet, in this instance, Violet actively seizes the bond's potential. This shift represents the identity arc made evident through grammar.

   Independent task

   Students will analyze Violet Sorrengail's character arc from Chapters 1 to 21, organizing their thoughts into three connected paragraphs that total at least 200 words. The first paragraph should focus on how she presents herself in Chapters 1 to 3. The second paragraph must discuss a turning point of the student’s choice from Chapters 6 to 15. Finally, the third paragraph should examine the power scene in Chapter Twenty-One. Each paragraph needs to include at least one quotation from the text and one evaluative statement regarding Yarros's writing style. Students will submit the complete analysis for summative assessment.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining how the verb choices in the Chapter Twenty-One power scene revise what the Chapter Two bonding scene established about Violet's relationship with Tairn.

5. Lesson 5: Moral Complexity and Authorial Craft: The Summative Essay

   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

   Without looking at your notes, write the essay question on the board from memory. Next, write down your main argument in one sentence along with the three pieces of evidence you plan to use. You have five minutes for this — think of it as your planning warm-up, not your introduction.

   Teacher input

   Model the construction of an essay introduction using the scene from Chapter Twenty-Three where Xaden reveals the complete truth about the Venin threat to Violet. Show students how an effective introduction identifies the text, the author, the argument, and the technique within the first three sentences. Then, establish context to justify the inclusion of a quotation. Demonstrate on the board: "Yarros portrays Xaden's revelation in Chapter Twenty-Three as a moment of ironic intimacy—the truth meant to bring them closer is the same truth that highlights how long he has kept it from her—presenting moral complexity as an expression of love." Annotate the model to highlight the claim, technique, and evaluative language.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay of 600–800 words that addresses the following question: "How does Rebecca Yarros use the relationship between Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson to delve into the concept that loyalty and betrayal are not opposites?" Your essay should begin with a focused introduction that clearly states your argument. In the body, include at least three paragraphs, each centered on a different key moment in the novel (ensuring to reference at least one moment from Chapters 1–10, one from Chapters 11–20, and one from Chapters 21–25). Conclude with an evaluation of Yarros's overall purpose. Each body paragraph must incorporate at least one direct quotation, introduced with a signal phrase, and followed by an analysis of specific language choices. Avoid summarizing the plot; ensure that every sentence supports your argument. Feel free to refer to your annotated text.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your conclusion. Write one sentence identifying the evaluative claim it makes about Yarros's authorial purpose — if your conclusion does not contain such a claim, write the sentence you wish you had included and explain in a second sentence why it would have strengthened your argument.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket — checks whether students can name and explain a specific narrative technique from Chapter One rather than describing plot.
• Lesson 1 collected paragraph — checks whether students can identify diction, syntax and imagery as distinct categories and write analytical sentences rather than comprehension responses.
• Lesson 2 collected paragraph — checks whether students can embed quotations grammatically and end with an evaluative sentence about authorial purpose.
• Lesson 3 collected comparative paragraph — checks whether students can hold two textual moments in tension and comment on Yarros's structural decision-making.
• Lesson 4 three-paragraph character arc — checks whether students can sustain an argument across multiple paragraphs and maintain evaluative language throughout.
• Lesson 5 exit ticket — checks whether students can identify an evaluative claim in their own writing and, if absent, articulate what it should have been.

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.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
• 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.
• 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 — Develop a thesis that interprets a literary text and requires a line of reasoning.
• Textual Evidence — Use relevant evidence from the text to support the thesis and line of reasoning.
• Explaining and Defending Interpretations — Explain how the evidence supports the thesis and respond to alternative interpretations.
• Figurative Language — Identify and explain the function of a narrator's perspective and its effect on the reader.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

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.
• AO5 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.