The Dark is Rising is filled with magic and strangeness, but one thing is most definitely super normal about Will's life—his family. He loves these people, though they get on his nerves. But so it goes with family, right? Plus there are a lot of Stantons; Will has six older brothers and sisters, which is enough to drive anyone nuts from time to time. Whenever push comes to shove, though, Will does whatever it takes to keep his family safe. Which is good, because the Dark can and does come for them as a means of getting to Will. Creepy.
Questions About Family
- How does the book define family? Will claims that the Old Ones are his family, too. What does that mean? Why do you think he feels that way?
- What happens to make Will concerned about his family? How does he relate to his family before and after he finds out he's an Old One?
- Why do you think Will comes from such a big family? How does this help characterize him for us?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Family matters to Will more than anything else in the world.
Will loves his family, but he realizes that some things—like defeating the Dark—are more important for him to focus on.