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Warr, BYU, 2011
Concept Analysis
Enna Burning 2004
Literary Text: Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
Plot Summary
Enna Burning is a fantasy, young adult novel that tells the
story of Enna, a young girl who risks everything to fight for her
country, which is being invaded by a neighboring. When her
brother Leifer discovers a new power, to create fire without any
flint or spark, he becomes consumed by the fire he created and
mysteriously dies during the first battle. Enna then decides to
discover the mysterious power “fire speaking” and takes action with her new skill as a member
of the royal guard. After attacking an enemy camp, Enna is captured and drugged. After a few
weeks, she escapes and rides to the capitol for the final battle. She destroys the enemy army, but
at a cost. She, like her brother, becomes consumed by fire, by fever. Her friends save her from
death but she still has a wicked fever. Her best friend Isi is a “wind speaker” and decides to take
her to a tribal community in the desert where they know a lot about supernatural powers. In the
desert community, they learn that if they teach each other their gifts of controlling wind and fire
they will have balance and the fever will leave Enna. The two friends share their gifts with one
another and ultimately find balance, control, and piece.
Warr, BYU, 2011
Organizational Patterns
The book is divided into four parts. This could make the book easy to break up into readable-
sized chunks. Each section also provides different elements and themes for discussion. Since the
parts are titled with her roles (sister, warrior, prisoner, friend), class work and discussion can be
geared around the responsibilities, problems, and other elements are associated with that role.
The Big Question or Enduring Issue: Control
What does it mean to have control?
In the novel, Enna faces the challenges that come from discovering the power to create
fire. As she becomes better at sensing heat and producing fire, she has to learn to control this
mysterious primitive element. The better she gets at producing fire, the more difficult the fire is
to control because the fire seems to want to burn everything.
What does it mean to have balance?
In Enna Burning, those who have powers to communicate with nature and animals
become sick if the powers are not balanced properly. Isi, a wind speaker, suffers from chronic
headaches and Enna experiences an extremely high fever. When the two friends seek help in the
desert community of Yasid, the tribal leader tells them to teach each other their gifts in order to
gain balance and control of their power.
Warr, BYU, 2011
What is a true friend?
Enna has many friends who remain loyal and steadfast through the entire novel. In fact,
she does not get out of any sticky situations without some kind of outside help from a friend. Her
friends Isi, Fynn, and Razo are constantly there to listen, to help and to be there. Enna also
however, has to learn what true friendship is when she deals with Sileph, a young war captain in
the enemy camp, who manipulates her with his gift of people speaking.
Background Knowledge
For this novel, students will have to have a simple understanding of the fantasy genre. This book
is a sequel to another novel but stands on its own because it has a different main character.
However, I think I would begin with an excerpt from the first book, which explains the different
kinds of “speaking” powers found in the first chapter of The Goose Girl to give them a
background in that aspect and verbally clarify that Isi, Enna’s best friend, is a “wind speaker”
and is the Queen of Bayern.
Issues related to the study of literature
Themes:
Finding Balance: The book explores the theme of balance
through the relationships between the characters. Enna learns
from the her experiences that she not only needs to balance
her powers but also that she must balance her emotions as
well. She learns the harsh truth of this through the death of
her brother, Leifer, who gives into his emotions and hurts
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Enna. His lack of balance with his powers ultimately causes his death from what Enna calls
“giving into” the fire.
Responsibility with Power: The novel brings to mind the saying, “with great power, comes
great responsibility.” As Enna learns to produce fire, she has to come to realize what she is
destroying. The vellum tells her that fire burns dead, lifeless things. However, in battle Enna is
disgusted to realize that living things burn as well and that a soul can be enough fuel for the fire.
She has to learn to take responsibility for her use of power.
Friendship: One of the main themes in throughout the entire novel is friendship. From the very
beginning, readers notice how important Enna’s friends are to her. Fynn and Razo are there as
her protectors and her backup in battle as well as off the battlefield. She turns to Isi when she has
no one else to talk to, and ultimately their friendship saves her life. Her friends show amazing
loyalty to her and she to them. Enna also discovers what a false friendship is through Sileph’s
manipulation.
Other Themes: Loyalty to country, Ethics in war, and determining truth.
Setting:
The major locations that are important and relevant to the story are the Forest, the Capitol,
Eyllbold, and Yasid. Since it is a fantasy, there is not a specific time associated with the story but
the story is pre-technology which means it incorporates medieval elements like monarchies and
sword fighting. Before the students read, show them the map located at the front of the novel as a
way to give them a geographic background of where things are.
Warr, BYU, 2011
Point of View/ Narrative:
The story is told in third person from Enna’s perspective. Enna has a strong voice and an
even stronger will, but in the novel, her will gets put to the test as she becomes a prisoner of war.
Seeing the novel from Enna’s perspective gives new insight into what war means and how it
affects others. Also, Enna battles with responsibility and control in the novel. Having the novel
in third person, allows the reader to imagine and imply Enna’s thoughts rather than giving them
to her all of the time, which adds greater depth to the novel.
Characterization:
Enna is the main character in the story. She is a strong, determined, and complicated girl who
has the ability to produce fire out of thin air. Something of note about Enna is that she is
constantly worried about her loved ones, hardly ever
thinking of herself. Since the book is told from her
perspective most of the things she says and describes are
about others around her and not her inner emotions. “Then a
noise like a twig underfoot. Something inside her cracked,
and she felt the heat bleed into her, inside her chest, through
her blood” (Hale 244).
Leifer: Enna’s brother who has the gift of fire speaking and
ultimately dies from it. Although his death happens relatively
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early in the book, the repercussions of his actions affect Enna throughout the entire novel. The
repercussions of his actions are best represented at the beginning of the book when he says, “I’m
sorry, Enna. I swear I’ll never burn you again” (19).
Isi: Enna’s best friend who has the gift of animal speaking and wind speaking. Her gift with
wind speaking is taking its toll on her, she constantly hears the voices of the wind and it gives
her horrible headaches. Her relationship with Enna is deep and ultimately they save each other’s
lives. “Maybe speech between us was…unbalanced. As mush as I love Avlado [her horse], I’ll
never be so careless again” (27).
Sileph: Enna’s captor who manipulates her with his gift of people speaking, which is like hyped
eloquence. As his prisoner, Enna falls in love with Sileph and then later recognizes his
manipulations and lies. “She was his captive warrior, ruthlessly tied and drugged. But Sileph’s
manners made her feel in his debt” (168).
Razo: Enna’s friend and fellow warrior in the hundred band.
Razo is described as small, but what he lacks in stature, he
makes up for in spunk and charisma. “He had the most
expressive face of any person she knew” (43).
Fynn: Enna’s friend who is in love with her. Although it is not
described in the novel, readers get the feeling that Enna returns
his affections. He is also her protector and part of the special
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troop of the royal guard that Enna also belongs to. “Since Enna had returned to the Forest, he had
become a regular guest in her house as well” (10).
Literary Terms to be taught:
Foreshadowing: At the start of the novel, the text is rich with clues that can help them to predict
what will happen in Enna’s future and also the future of the other characters.
Imagery and symbolism: This book has many references to fire, wind, and other elements of
nature that provide rich imagery as well as amazing opportunities to teach the symbolic meaning
of the four ancient elements.
Affective Issues Related to the Work:
Eighth grade students are at the transitional stage where they are just beginning to
experiment with different responsibilities. They are striving for more and more individuality and
power over their lives. In this novel, the will connect with the characters who also are
experiences changes in responsibility and power. The outcome of the novel, finding control
through balance, can also be a moral lesson for these students to be well rounded and balanced in
all areas of their life.
Also, because friendship plays such a key role in this story, the students will relate
because friendship is such an important issue for middle school-age students. Friends in this
novel act as guides, protectors, confidents, and colleagues. They are there for Enna every step of
the way. These roles can be reflected and reinforced in student’s own lives as they learn what
true friends are.
Warr, BYU, 2011
Specialized Vocabulary:
Hundred Band: Bayern’s special group of a hundred soldiers hand picked by King Geric and
Queen Isi during the war with Tira. Enna, Leifer, Fynn, and Razo are part of this troop.
Animal Speaking: Having the power to speak to animals. Isi has this gift with birds and her
horses Falada and Avlado.
Nature Speaking: Having the power to control elements of nature. Enna and Leifer have the
power to produce fire, Isi has the power to produce wind, and the people in Yasid have the
ability to control water.
People Speaking: Having the power of eloquent speech to the point where the speaker almost
controls the listener through verbal manipulation. Sileph has this gift in the novel.
Roga: Name for tribe in Yasid
Tata-rook: specific tribe that has the gift of water speaking.
Implications for Students of Diversity:
Because this book is a fantasy, it is easily accessible to all different types of students. The
book does not ascribe any race to the characters. The book is easily accessible to students of all
backgrounds and levels. The language is relatively easy and the plot is easy to follow because
there are not too many characters or subplots.
Gender Issues:
Although Enna Burning has traditional fantasy elements like having a King the ruler of a
country, this novel could in one way be read from a feminist perspective. Since the main
Warr, BYU, 2011
character is female, readers get a different perspective than in a lot of popular fantasy novels like
Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. Enna is a strong character. She starts out being the
caregiver and homemaker but turns into a soldier and a warrior for her nation. As a whole this
book transcends gender stereotypes.
Project Ideas:
“Why are Themes Important?”
Ask students what the main ideas or themes of the
book are. If students get stuck, give them examples and
explanations. Have the students list the themes they say
and add any important ones they might be missing. The list could include: Loyalty and
Friendship (Isi and Enna), Balance (fire & wind), Perseverance, Determining truth,
Responsibility, Control of power. Then divide the class into groups based on how many themes
are on the board. Ask each group to discuss and write down answers to the following questions
on a group sheet of paper. “What are some examples of this theme in the story?” “Why is this
theme important to the story?” “Why is this theme important to you?” Have one student act as
scribe for the group, another act as spokesperson; another should act as taskmaster (making sure
they stay on task), and one act as questioner (ask the next question when the topic has been
thoroughly discussed). Have the spokesperson present a synopsis of the groups thoughts on the
theme. To reinforce the learning: Have students pick any of the themes and have them write a 1
page type written response to the questions paying particular attention to “Why is this theme
important to you?”
Warr, BYU, 2011
“Super Superhero Stories”
Begin by giving students a DOL using the correct conventions for dialogue and correct
with class on overhead or board in a different color marker. Then explain that the next book
they’ll be reading has to do with a girl who has special powers. For their daily writing journal,
have the students create a story about someone with superpowers. Explain that they must use
dialogue in their story that day. Give them 15- 20 minutes to write. Over the next week have the
students add to their story different narrative details including description, imagery, and
symbolism.
“Picture Perfect Postcards”
Divide Students into 6 groups. Give each group a setting (The Forest [chpt 1], The
Capitol [chpt 2], Eyllbold [chpt 12], Yasid [chpt 19], Customs, and time) Have each group draw
a picture on butcher paper that describes the settings of the places or gives characteristics of
customs and time. Have the students put the page numbers on where they found their information
on the back of the poster. Have each group present their picture and explain it. To reinforce the
learning have students create a postcard from one of the places in the book. On the front have the
draw or find a picture depicting the place on the back have the students describe it including the
customs and the elements of time (clothing, language, technology, etc.)
Warr, BYU, 2011
Enrichment Sources:
1. Comic Books from Marvel and DC
Comics
2. Clip from “Avatar: The Last Air Bender”
3. Excerpt from The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
4. “Fire and Ice” by Robert Frost
5. “Fire” by Dorothy MacKellar
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