Kim

Kim

• Genre: Fiction; adventure novel
• Originally Published: 1901
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 940L; grades 9-12; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 15 parts; approximately 368 pages; approximately 13 hours, 19 minutes on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The central conflict in the story follows Kimball “Kim” O’Hara, an orphaned, biracial British boy who grows up in the streets of British-occupied India during the late 19th century. As he becomes entangled in the world of espionage, Kim’s adventures take him on a journey through the diverse landscapes and cultures of India. The story explores themes of identity, espionage, and the clash of cultures in colonial India.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Colonial-era themes; cultural appropriation; depictions of British colonialism

Rudyard Kipling, Author

• Bio: Born 1865; died 1936; British author and poet; known for his works of fiction and poetry inspired by his experiences in India and other British colonies; awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907; famous for works such as The Jungle Book and Just So Stories; controversial for his views on imperialism and colonialism
• Other Works: The Jungle Book (1894); Just So Stories (1902); Captains Courageous (1897); “The Man Who Would Be King” (1888); “The White Man's Burden” (1899); “If—” (1910)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Life as a Game
• Personal Identity
• Religious and Cultural Diversity