Shantaram includes mature material relating to violence, sexual assault, sex, race, poverty, war, death, and more that can be disturbing or difficult to read and sensitive to explore in a classroom setting. You may want to pick and choose the lesson material you feel your class will be most comfortable with. You may also want to make some time and space for guided discussions about the book’s themes and how to talk about them with sensitivity and compassion. The reading material is at times extremely graphic and may be triggering for students, and you may want to offer both trigger warnings and access to resources for additional support.
The thought questions in this lesson plan provide...
