Objectives

• Analyse how Bardugo uses Kaz Brekker's backstory and free indirect discourse to construct a protagonist defined by trauma and survival.
• Explain how the social hierarchy of Ketterdam — the Barrel, the Merchant Council, and the stadwatch — functions as a critique of class and power.
• Trace how loyalty and betrayal are structured across the six crew members from recruitment in Ch.1–2 to the Epilogue, using specific textual moments.
• Evaluate how Bardugo presents love and redemption as forces that both threaten and sustain survival, with close reference to the Matthias–Nina and Kaz–Inej relationships.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical essay that makes a clear argument about how Bardugo uses language, structure, and character to explore at least two of the text's central themes.
• Identify and comment on Bardugo's narrative choices — including multiple focalisers, chapter-ending cliff-hangers, and embedded flashback — and explain their effect on the reader.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Survival and Social Hierarchy: Kaz's Ketterdam

   60 min · ch. 1, 2

   Do now

   Kaz Brekker is a cunning and resourceful thief known for his leadership of the Dregs, a notorious gang in Ketterdam. He seeks revenge and aims to pull off a heist that could change his fate, but he faces numerous obstacles, including rival gangs, law enforcement, and his own troubled past. In Chapter 1 (the Prologue), Bardugo introduces the Dregs and describes their influence and reputation — locate that line and underline any words that suggest power or danger.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the opening paragraph of Ch.1 — 'Joost had two loves: Anya and the Merchant Council's new drug' — to illustrate how Bardugo quickly immerses the reader in Ketterdam's exploitative economy. The contrast between romantic love and a corporate entity suggests that in this world, all human emotions are intertwined with power dynamics. Next, examine Kaz's first appearance in Ch.2 (Chapter 1 of Part One) and analyze how the phrase 'Kaz Brekker didn't need a reason' shapes a character who uses invulnerability as a protective shell — paying attention to tone, syntax, and implied background.

   Independent task

   Students should read the passage from Chapter 2 (Part One, Chapters 1–5) where Kaz is called to Van Eck's office and presented with the opportunity to take the Ice Court job. They are required to write one comprehensive analytical paragraph, consisting of at least 150 words, discussing whether Kaz's choice to accept the job is primarily motivated by greed, a desire for revenge against Pekka Rollins, or another reason entirely. The paragraph needs to include at least two brief quotations from the scene, incorporate the word 'constructs' or 'positions' at least once, and conclude with a sentence that links Kaz's motivations to the theme of survival.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence that completes this claim with evidence from today's reading: 'Bardugo positions Ketterdam as a city in which survival requires ________, as shown when ________.'

2. Lesson 2: Trauma, Identity, and the Mask: Kaz Brekker's Backstory

   60 min · ch. 2, 3, 4

   Do now

   Look at the paragraph in Ch. 4 (Part One, Chapters 11–15) where Kaz remembers the bodies floating in the Ketterdam harbor after the plague ship. Copy the sentence that you find most disturbing and write two sentences explaining what it shows about Kaz before he became Dirtyhands.

   Teacher input

   Model how the embedded flashback in Chapter 4—specifically the moment when young Kaz clings to his deceased brother Jordie's body in the freezing harbor water—uses sensory details like 'the cold' and 'the weight of him' to convey why Kaz cannot stand to be touched. Show how free indirect discourse, as in 'He had learned then. You couldn't trust a man who hadn't suffered,' decreases the distance between the narrator and Kaz, drawing the reader into his perspective. Annotate for the shift from past to present tense, the use of second-person address, and how Jordie's death serves as both the source of Kaz's trauma and the foundation of his criminal identity.

   Independent task

   Students are required to write two connected analytical paragraphs (at least 200 words in total) addressing the question: "How does Bardugo use the Jordie Brekker flashback in Chapter 4 to illustrate trauma as a core aspect of Kaz's identity?" The first paragraph should concentrate on a specific quotation from the harbour scene and delve into Bardugo's language choices. The second paragraph must relate that moment to a detail from Chapter 2 or Chapter 3 that demonstrates how Kaz's adult behavior results directly from that trauma — for instance, his gloves, his cane, or his unwillingness to explain himself to Per Haskell.

   Exit ticket

   In no more than three sentences, explain what free indirect discourse is and give one example of it from today's reading in Ch.4, stating precisely what effect it has on the reader's relationship with Kaz.

3. Lesson 3: Loyalty, Leverage, and Betrayal: How the Crew Holds Together

   60 min · ch. 3, 5, 6

   Do now

   Sure! Here's the humanized version:

   Without looking at the text, list the six crew members and write one word next to each that captures their main desire for this heist. Then, next to each name, indicate one word for what Kaz is using to maintain their loyalty. Compare your list with the person next to you — where do you see differences?

   Teacher input

   Model a structural reading of the moment in Chapter 6 (Part Two, Chapters 21–25) when Inej tells Kaz she will not spy for him indefinitely — "I will have my ship, Kaz. I will have my freedom." Analyze how Bardugo constructs this exchange so that Inej's demand reflects both her loyalty (as she remains committed to the job) and her assertion of future independence. Highlight the use of future tense as a declaration of selfhood, the physical staging of Inej positioned above Kaz on the rigging, which flips their usual power dynamic, and how this scene hints at the unresolved nature of the Epilogue's ending.

   Independent task

   Students are asked to consider the claim: 'In Six of Crows, loyalty is never freely given — it is always purchased, coerced, or earned through shared suffering.' They should use evidence from at least three of the following moments: Kaz's recruitment of Wylan in Chapter 3, Nina and Matthias's argument aboard the Ferolind in Chapter 5, Jesper's gambling debt revealed in Chapter 6, and Inej's confrontation with Kaz in Chapter 6. Students will write three analytical paragraphs (at least 250 words total) that either support, challenge, or complicate this claim. Each paragraph must identify the character, the chapter, and include a specific quotation.

   Exit ticket

   Identify one moment in today's reading where a character's loyalty to the crew conflicts with their loyalty to themselves, and write two sentences explaining how Bardugo uses that conflict to develop the theme of identity.

4. Lesson 4: Love as Risk: The Matthias–Nina and Kaz–Inej Arcs

   60 min · ch. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

   Do now

   Find the moment in Ch. 7 (Part Three, Chapters 26–30) where Matthias reflects on Nina while they are in the Ice Court. Copy the sentence that best illustrates his internal struggle and write one sentence explaining his emotional fear — not a physical one, but an emotional one.

   Teacher input

   Model a comparative close reading of two passages: first, Matthias's interior monologue in Chapter 7 when he observes Nina using her Grisha power to save a guard instead of killing him ('She was mercy. He had been taught there was no mercy in Grisha'); second, the moment in Chapter 9 (Part Three, Chapters 36–40) when Kaz nearly reaches for Inej's hand but stops himself. Highlight how both instances employ physical restraint — Matthias's ideological paralysis and Kaz's literal inability to touch — to illustrate that for these characters, love feels like a threat to the survival identity they have built. Annotate for: the contrast between action and inaction, the use of conditional and negative constructions ('would have', 'could not'), and the cost of each moment to the character.

   Independent task

   Students will create a comparative analytical essay plan along with one fully developed paragraph (at least 180 words) addressing the prompt: "Compare how Bardugo portrays love as both a source of vulnerability and strength in the relationships between Matthias and Nina (Ch.7–9) and Kaz and Inej (Ch.9–11)." The plan, which should take five minutes and be in bullet point format, must highlight one similarity and one difference between the two relationships. The paragraph should concentrate on one of the passages discussed in class, incorporate at least two quotations, and include one piece of subject terminology beyond just 'metaphor' or 'simile' — for instance: free indirect discourse, dramatic irony, focalisation, or juxtaposition.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining why Bardugo chooses NOT to resolve either the Matthias–Nina or the Kaz–Inej relationship fully by the end of Ch.11, and what effect that structural choice has on the reader.

5. Lesson 5: Power, Identity, and the Cost of Survival: Extended Essay

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

   Do now

   Revisit the last two paragraphs of Chapter 12 (the Epilogue). In three sentences, describe what Kaz has gained by the novel's conclusion, what he has lost, and identify which of the eight themes resonates most strongly in the Epilogue. Be sure to mention the theme and include one word from the Epilogue to support your point.

   Teacher input

   In Leigh Bardugo's work, power emerges not as an inherent trait of Kaz Brekker but as a carefully crafted performance, particularly evident when he confronts Pekka Rollins in Chapters 41–45. This scene reveals Kaz's complex motivations, as he states, “I didn’t just want to take from you. I wanted you to feel every moment of it,” which underscores that his actions are fueled by a desire for revenge linked to Jordie's death. This confrontation illustrates that for Kaz, embracing power is a means of survival, where vulnerability equates to mortality. By framing power in this manner, Bardugo not only deepens our understanding of Kaz’s character but also reflects the novel's overarching theme: the intricate dance between strength and the ever-looming threat of weakness. This structural choice emphasizes the relentless struggle in Kaz's world, where every act of power is both a shield against vulnerability and a step toward his ultimate reckoning.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with writing a comprehensive analytical essay of 500–700 words in response to the following question: 'How does Bardugo use the character of Kaz Brekker to explore the relationship between power and identity in Six of Crows?' Your essay must: (1) begin with a clear, arguable thesis regarding Kaz — rather than just stating a plot fact; (2) contain a paragraph discussing Kaz's backstory and the Jordie flashback in Chapter 4, incorporating at least one direct quotation; (3) include a paragraph on Kaz's encounter with Pekka Rollins in Chapter 10, featuring at least one direct quotation; (4) present a paragraph that introduces at least one other crew member — Inej, Wylan, or Matthias — to illustrate how Kaz's influence over others reflects aspects of his identity; (5) conclude with a judgment on whether Kaz's survival has come at the expense of his humanity, referencing the Epilogue in Chapter 12. You may draw quotations from any chapter, but be sure to cite the chapter number in brackets following each one.

   Exit ticket

   Read back your thesis sentence — the very first claim of your essay. Write one sentence explaining what a reader who disagreed with your thesis would say, and then write one sentence explaining why your reading of the text is more convincing than theirs.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can connect a character's motivation to a theme in a single evidenced sentence, revealing whether they have grasped the novel's central premise that survival drives all action.
• Lesson 2 exit ticket: checks whether students can define and apply free indirect discourse to a specific passage in Ch.4, showing whether the modelled technique has transferred to independent use.
• Lesson 3 independent task paragraphs: teacher scans for whether students are naming chapters and embedding quotations rather than paraphrasing plot, identifying those who need support with the distinction between analysis and retelling.
• Lesson 4 essay plan: teacher circulates during the five-minute planning phase to check whether students have identified a genuine similarity and difference between the two relationships, not simply two separate observations about each.
• Lesson 5 thesis sentence (read back in exit ticket): checks whether students have moved from a descriptive opening ('Kaz Brekker is a complex character') to an arguable claim ('Bardugo presents power as a performance that Kaz maintains because vulnerability, for him, is indistinguishable from death'), flagging those who need a redraft before submission.

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, including where a story is set, how the action is ordered, and how the characters are introduced and developed.
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• 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 — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about the literary work and supports that claim with evidence and commentary.
• Figurative Language — Identify and explain the function of specific figurative language, including imagery, symbol, and free indirect discourse, in passages from Six of Crows.
• Narration — Explain how Bardugo's use of multiple focalisers and embedded flashback shapes the reader's understanding of character motivation and theme.
• Character — Analyse how Bardugo develops Kaz Brekker's complexity through contrast, contradiction, and the gap between his performed identity and his traumatic past.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response, with a thesis-driven argument about power and identity in Six of Crows.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by Bardugo to create meanings and effects, including free indirect discourse, multiple focalisation, and structural flashback.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received, including the context of YA fiction's engagement with class, trauma, and marginalised identity.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation in extended analytical writing.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression, applied to the themes of power, survival, and identity in Six of Crows.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with specific attention to Bardugo's narrative structure, use of multiple perspectives, and language choices in key scenes.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including the social and economic hierarchies that shape Ketterdam as an analogue for real-world inequality.

IB Lit

• Readers, writers and texts — Explain how Bardugo's narrative choices — including focalisation, flashback, and dialogue — position the reader to sympathise with morally compromised protagonists.
• Time and space — Analyse how the settings of Ketterdam's Barrel and the Ice Court function as physical manifestations of the novel's themes of confinement, power, and escape.
• Intertextuality — Consider how Six of Crows draws on and subverts genre conventions of the heist narrative and the fantasy bildungsroman to explore identity and redemption.