The Clay Marble

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. From 1974 to 1979, the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), also known as “Khmer Rouge,” ruled the Southeast Asian country of Cambodia. During this time, millions of Cambodians experienced violence, poverty, and displacement, as the Khmer Rouge instituted strict laws and ordered the death of specific groups. Consider The Effects of War on Civilians, particularly as it relates to dictatorial political regimes. Why would new governmental regimes introduce laws that ultimately hurt the people living in the country? Explain your answer.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question orients students within the historical context of the novel: a post-Khmer Rouge Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge is responsible for the genocide of millions of Cambodians, most of which were educated individuals. The novel focuses on the effects of displacement through Dara’s eyes, and touches on the themes of The Effects of War on Civilians, Hope and Courage in the Face of Adversity, and Friendship and Loyalty. While Ho’s novel is not an exploration of the political regime itself, it does allude to the chaos of war, and the aftermath that political instability causes for civilians, particularly in regard to accessing food, housing, and medical care.

• The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum provides information on the “Origins of the Khmer Rouge” in their multi-part information series on genocide in Cambodia.
• The University of Minnesota shares both information and resources on the genocide in Cambodia.

Short Activity

Similar to the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, political revolutions have drastically impacted the lives of civilians throughout history. Working in small groups, select a revolution that dramatically changed the lives of the country’s citizens. After researching your historical event, share your findings in a presentation with your classmates. Be sure to include visuals and videos, if applicable. Finally, in a post-presentation discussion, reflect on the similarities between revolutions, particularly in regard to The Clay Marble’s themes of The Effects of War on Civilians, Hope and Courage in The Face of Adversity, and Friendship and Loyalty.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity invites students to explore the impact of political revolutions on civilians in relation to the novel’s themes of The Effects of War on Civilians and Hope and Courage in the Face of Adversity. Based on the level of the class, this Short Activity is a good opportunity to introduce the causes of revolutions, primarily as it relates to political, economic, and social unrest, and tie these causes into the impacts on society. Historically, one of the main impacts of political revolutions on the lives of civilians is increased displacement, both internally (i.e., internally displaced persons) and externally (i.e., refugees).

• Historytoday.com explores the “Waves of Revolution” in this broad overview of rebellions in modern history.
• National Geographic Education explores the motif of “Revolution” in this education-based resource for the classroom.

Personal Connection Prompt

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

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a “refugee” is defined:

[As a person who is] owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.

Consider the definition of this word. Is there any aspect of this definition that surprises you? Are there any components that you did not expect to see or that you believe are missing? How does this official definition connect with your previous understanding of the terms? Explain your answer.

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider their own understanding of the term refugee in relation to the novel’s themes of The Effects of War on Civilians and Hope and Courage in the Face of Adversity. Using the definition above, students should consider the types of persecution listed (e.g., gender, political) and the types of persecution not listed in the official United Nations definition (e.g., environmental, age). If you notice that your students are struggling with the language in the definition, it could be helpful as a class to paraphrase the definition so it is more accessible.

This prompt directly connects with the Discussion/Analysis Prompt. (Note for this Teaching Guide: while the term “refugee” applies to those who are internationally protected and have received recognized-refugee status, the novel does not make this differentiation, and instead refers to all Cambodians who are displaced as “refugees.” This TG will continue to use the term “refugee” as the novel does).

• Australian Red Cross, “Refugee and Asylum Seeker Facts”
• UNHCR, “The Most Important Thing”

Differentiation Suggestion: For an extended creative writing exercise, the above prompt may be added to include the following question: Imagine you were forced to leave your home, what would you take? Why would you take those items?

Teaching Suggestion: If you notice students primarily focusing on sentimental or entertainment items, remind them of some of the realities of life as a refugee. They would need to focus first on meeting basic needs such as food, water, or other survival items. They would also need to be able to carry all their items.