In The Knife of Never Letting Go, Todd grows up in a world made up of lies, thanks to the manipulation of Mayor Prentiss and his minions. Todd's journey through the big wide world is pretty jarring as he realizes over and over again that much of what he's grown up thinking is true is, in fact, false. How was this web of lies woven? Through religion, Mayor Prentiss's chosen vehicle for manipulating the citizens of Prentisstown into behaving exactly as he wants—a.k.a. forming his army.
Questions About Manipulation
- Why do you think the people in Prentisstown are so easy to manipulate?
- Are people like Todd responsible for their actions when everything they've been told about the world has been manipulated into a lie? Why or why not?
- Mayor Prentiss's claims about religion are obviously geared toward death and chaos, so how does he get people to believe him? Use the text to support your answer.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Manipulation in this book is all about chaos, and how it can be used for and against people.
Religion is an easy way to manipulate people because it asks for their faith—a.k.a. to trust in something they can't completely understand.