Characters
Who is the main character and narrator of the novel?
Michael
What problem does Michael's new house have?
It is falling apart, unsafe.
What food does Skellig demand?
27 and 53 Chinese takeaways
What major event causes Michael stress throughout the novel?
His baby sister's illness.
Who wrote Skellig?
David Almond
Who becomes Michael's closest friend outside school?
Mina
Where do Michael and Mina often go together?
The woods, Mina's house, the garage.
What physical feature reveals Skellig is unusual?
Wings
Which theme links Skellig, Mina and Michael together?
What narrative perspective is used?
First person
Where is Skellig first found?
Why is the garage an important setting?
It is where Skellig is hidden and cared for.
Why is Skellig weak at the start of the novel?
He is injured, neglected and close to death.
How does Mina help Michael cope emotionally?
Why does Almond use short chapters and simple language?
To reflect Michael's thoughts and emotions.
What concepts does Mina challenge in this novel?
Woods feel free and natural whereas hospital feels controlled and clinical.
How does Skellig change as the novel progresses?
He becomes stronger and more angelic / alive.
Why does David Almond include both doctors and spiritual ideas?
To show different ways of understanding life and death.
How does drawing function as a technique in the novel?
It shows Michael's feelings and coping process.
What two ideas does Skellig represent at the same time in the novel?
Fragility and strength
What does the crumbling house symbolise?
Is Skellig an angel, a man or something else? Explain.
Accept any justified interpretation.
What does the novel suggest about hope?
Hope can exist even in fear and uncertainty.
How does David Almond blur the line between realism and fantasy?
By mixing medical detail with mystical elements.