The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

Introduction
As a young boy, William Kamkwamba read about windmills and dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village in Malawi, a country withered by drought and hunger. In 2002, when his country was stricken with a famine, William's family's farm was devastated and his parents were left destitute. With nothing more than a fistful of cornmeal in his stomach and his own determination, William used scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves, to forge a crude yet operable windmill, an unlikely contraption complete with homemade switches and a circuit break made from nails and wire. Eventually it powered four lights. In time, a second machine turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine that loomed with every season. Soon, news of William's magetsi a mphepo—his "electric wind"—spread beyond the borders of his home and he became an inspiration around the world. Here is the remarkable story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him.

Questions for Discussion

1. Could you imagine living without electricity? What would your life be like? Describe William's life and compare it to American teenagers and even your own.
   


2. How did the villagers compensate for not having electricity, telephones, or most of the modern conveniences we take for granted?
   


3. What is the role of magic in the story? What about education? Contrast the two. Is there room for both in a culture? What about education and religion? How do the two impact each other? How did William's religion influence his outlook?
   

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Harper Perennial. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.