A Whale of the Wild

How does telling the story from orca whales’ perspectives impact the novel’s characterization and overall meaning? How does the author utilize shifts between the dual first-person narrators to provide suspense and comic relief?

Citing specific evidence from the text, discuss how human activity negatively impacts the protagonist, her family, and the Salish Sea as a whole. In what ways do humans exert a positive influence on natural habitats in this novel? What message is Parry seeking to impart to her young audience?

How does Capella begin as a symbol of hope, and how does she become a motif of Human Influence on Natural Habitats? How does Capella’s death impact the novel’s structure and the protagonist’s characterization?