Waiting for the Barbarians Lesson Plan

What is the magistrate like as a narrator? Can we trust what he says?

The magistrate is what is commonly referred to as an "unreliable narrator." Whether or not students have encountered this term before, they should be encouraged to think about the ways in which he constantly undermines his own narration. This will require students to read closely and critically in ways that they may not be accustomed to. For example, the magistrate begins by saying that he does not know why Joll is visiting the outpost, but later reveals that he knows there rumors about the "barbarians" uniting. Several times, he adds contradictory thoughts in parentheses after making a claim, such as when...