I Am Number Four

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. According to Enlightenment philosopher John Locke’s “memory theory,” a person’s identity is inseparable from their memory. What are some real-world examples that support this philosophical theory?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may have heard of John Locke only indirectly; it may be helpful to provide a brief overview of Locke’s “memory theory,” and students might refer to the links below or similar resources for additional context. In Locke’s theory, personal identity and memory are inextricably intertwined; Four establishes that power of The Connection Between Memory and Identity throughout the novel.

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s “Locke on Personal Identity” provides an overview of Locke’s “memory theory.”
• BBC Radio 4’s “John Locke on Personal Identity” condenses Locke’s theory in a 2-minute video. (Teacher-appropriate; not student facing without teacher guidance due to mature content.)

Differentiation Suggestion: For advanced classes or those who might benefit from additional philosophical discussion, students might review the counterargument to Locke’s theory; Scientific American’s “Morals, Not Memories, Define Who We Are” posits that our sense of right and wrong defines who we are, as opposed to our history.