Teacher Guide

Waiting for the Barbarians Lesson Plan

Introduction to Waiting for the Barbarians

Waiting for the Barbarians is an anti-colonial novel that explores themes including cyclical history, sexuality, power, colonialism, and xenophobia. The novel is written from the perspective of an unnamed man called the magistrate who lives on an outpost of a fictional Empire. As the Empire begins a more militaristic and hostile approach to dealing with the so-called "barbarians" (a catch-all term used for people who live outside the Empire), the magistrate begins to doubt and ultimately push back against the mission of the Empire while constantly questioning his own motives and the efficacy of his actions.

Key Aspects of Waiting for the Barbarians

Tone

The most remarkable feature of...

Join Now to View Premium Content

GradeSaver provides access to 2368 study guide PDFs and quizzes, 11018 literature essays, 2792 sample college application essays, 926 lesson plans, and ad-free surfing in this premium content, “Members Only” section of the site! Membership includes a 10% discount on all editing orders.

Join Now

Already a member? Log in