The Goose Girl begins with a map (check your inside cover if you don't believe us), so it certainly is concerned with charting new places and things. However, anyone looking for a gung-ho celebration of exploration will be disappointed with this book because while leaving her home is what permits Ani to come into her own and find the love of her life, it also means living in constant danger. Bummer, right? But for us as readers, this just means we get to travel and adventure vicariously, all from the safety of our couch.
Questions About Exploration
- Why does the novel start in Kildenree, but move to Bayern? How is this move important for Ani's character?
- How would the novel be different if it took place entirely in Kildenree? Would Ani go through the same changes as she does in Bayern?
- Do some parts of the country appear more welcoming than others? Why? Why does Ani spend time in the servants' quarters in one country, and the palace in another?
- Ani's mom claims that the move to Bayern might be good for her daughter. Is she right?
Chew on This
Ani's reluctance to go to Bayern—and her nightmarish experience once she gets there—make her exploration of new places even more intense and exciting.
There are strong parallels between the new challenges Ani faces and the unfamiliar terrain that surrounds her on her journey.