The question of free will is intimately intertwined with the theme of Nature Versus Nurture. Even Aziraphale and Crowley wonder whether they truly have free will or if their natures limit their choices. Anathema Device illustrates another element of free will; all her choices have been predicted already—hundreds of years before. Does that mean she lacks free will? If the Creator’s true plan is ineffable, then even Aziraphale’s and Crowley’s mistakes are foreseen. Does that imply a lack of free will?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might be encouraged to list the major characters and consider whether each of the characters has free will as they interpret the end of the novel. To make this discussion more accessible to students and manageable, consider allowing students to choose one character and respond to the discussion prompt accordingly; students may also be grouped together by character to have the opportunity to explore and discuss in a smaller setting before sharing with the whole class.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students with executive function differences, English language learners, and students who learn best visually may benefit from the scaffolding provided by a partially completed graphic organizer that details one character's nature and free will; consider guiding these students through completing this graphic organizer and then applying what they learned from you and the process to examining a different character (and perhaps completing a blank graphic organizer on the back of the original one, for example).