Identity is a major theme in any young adult novel. Most young adults are trying to figure out what kind of no-longer-young adults they want to be. What college to go to, what career to pursue, who to start a relationship with—all of those are big questions.
But in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, identity is a little more complicated. All of these kids have some sort of superpower that defines them. Super strength. Invisibility. Shooting bees out of their mouths. Okay, some are more practical than others, but no matter the power, theirs is a world where being peculiar helps you fit in.
Questions About Identity
- What does Jacob want to be when he's a child? Why does this dream of his change, and how does he recapture it when he's sixteen?
- Would Emma like Jacob as much if he didn't remind her of his grandfather (her ex-boyfriend)? Use the text to support your answer.
- How does the revelation that Jacob is peculiar affect his sense of his own identity? Does he feel like he finally knows what he's supposed to do?