Post-Show Discussion Activity

Use these questions to reflect, discuss, or journal about your experience and reactions to King Hedley II! Explore any of the questions that interest you.

If engaging in this activity independently, consider taking notes or writing your reflections down. If engaging in this activity with a class or group, decide if you would like to answer every question in order, skip around, or select certain questions to spend time on. 

Discussion Questions

1. At several points throughout King Hedley II, King mentions halos. First he has a dream that he has a halo, and then he asks different characters if they can see a halo around his head. How do you interpret this question? Is this literal, metaphorical, a delusion? What is the significance of King being fixated on having a halo? 
2. King works hard to protect the seeds he is growing. After Elmore steps on them, he places a barbed-wire fence around them. Aunt Ester’s cat is buried next to them and King’s blood revives it. What do the seeds represent? What does the resurrection of Aunt Ester’s cat represent? 
3. Referring to King, Mister says: “If you try and take King’s honor he’ll kill you. Whether he right or wrong.” What factors have led to this mindset? 
4. Ruby and Tonya speak about motherhood and their relationships to their significant others. Describe the relationships between men and women depicted in King Hedley II. Compare and contrast Ruby and Tonya’s worldviews & experiences. 
5. There is a ton of overlap in between King Hedley II and Seven Guitars, the fifth play chronologically in the Century Cycle. Why does Wilson bring back storylines and characters? What is the impact on the audience? 

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• This activity aligns with the following standards:
  • Illinois Arts Learning Standards 
    • Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work.
    • Anchor Standard 8: Construct meaningful interpretations of artistic work.
    • Anchor Standard 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
  • Common Core State Standards  
    • CCSS.ELA.SL.1 Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
    • CCSS.ELA.RL.3  Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.

Posted on October 22, 2026 in Learning Guides, Productions