We don't really need to tell you that Deryn and Alek are both pretty skilled at handling their respective war machines, because they will quite happily tell you themselves. We guess there are worse qualities to have than a bit of cockiness about what you're truly good at. In Leviathan, this theme mostly shows up in discussion of skill, and it mostly has to do with having great "air sense" and amazing walker piloting abilities. What can we say? Our protagonists have some serious skills in this book.
Questions About Strength and Skill
- While Deryn and Alek both have a lot of natural ability, it's clear they both still have a lot to learn. Where do we see evidence of this?
- Who would you say are Deryn and Alek's most important teachers?
- What's the difference between Deryn's approach to her skill and that of someone like Fitzroy?
- Are Deryn and Alek good judges of their natural abilities, or do they tend to think their skills are better or worse than they actually are?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Deryn and Alek's skill with—and dedication to—learning their respective jobs give them a certain amount of equality.
Deryn and Alek bicker a lot, but it's easy to see that each respects the other's ability.