The Toll

The Toll is a work of dystopian fiction, which presents a futuristic society in frightening decline. Compare and contrast The Toll with a similar work, such as Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games trilogy, The Giver by Lois Lowry, or 1984 by George Orwell. What key themes and ideas do the texts share? In what ways, if any, do they diverge in their treatment of these themes?

The Toll features various forms of texts, such as the Testament that will later mythologize the novel’s events and Da Vinci’s journals. What is the wider significance of these texts within the novel? How does the novel explore the power and dangers of textual transmission and storytelling?

How does the novel explore the nature of power? How do different characters respond to the moral dilemmas and responsibilities that power brings?

How is love depicted in the novel? Consider the various forms of friendship, romantic love, and/or parental love featured in the text. What is the significance of love in the lives and character arcs of the various characters?

Technology plays a huge role in the futuristic society of the novel. What are the advantages and dangers of technology in the text? In what ways does technology intersect with the use or misuse of power?

Examine the use of humor in the text. What forms of humor does the author deploy? How does humor and/or comedic relief shape the narrative and its impact?

Both Citra and Rowan undergo a coming-of-age arc in the novel. How do their personal and emotional trajectories conform to, or diverge from, common tropes associated with coming-of-age narratives?

The Toll features many historical and literary allusions. Select and closely analyze some of these allusions. How do these allusions aid in characterization, thematic development, and/or wider social commentary in the text?