Activities: A Light in the Dunes

A Light in the Dunes was inspired by the Legend of the Witch of the Bird Sanctuary. The legend is set on the island of Ameland, a small island off the coast of Friesland. I've always been intrigued by this legend, maybe because of my love for the sea. I like to roam the beaches in stormy weather and like to look at interesting items the waves have left on the sand.

Our youngest daughter had been named after the witch, but we had changed the spelling. She had to overcome many challenges when she was young, just like the woman in the legend. I felt I owed her this story.

I also collect legends and folk tales and soon discovered that legends similar to the story of Rixt appear in the folklore of many maritime nations. A similar legend was told in Normandy, France. The woman who lured the ships into treacherous waters was a fifteen-year-old girl. The incident happened in the early fifteen hundreds.

On the island in the town of Buren is the statue of Rixt. The people on the island are very superstitious and they claim they can hear her call "Sjoerd! Sjoerd!" during heavy storms.

In the summer of 1992, we visited family and friends in Friesland, the Netherlands.

One day we took the ferry to the island of Ameland. We rented bicycles, biked to the bird sanctuary and the lighthouse. We ended our trip in Buren, where our daughter Rikst finally met the statue of the witch. She wasn't impressed when she saw whom she'd been named after.

Today she finds it very interesting that she was named after the witch in a legend. She is happy to tell people the story.

The legend is very popular in all of the Netherlands. A screenplay has been written and even an opera. The play of this legend was performed on an outdoor skating rink. It was in the summer, so there was no ice, but they simulated the beach and the dunes and the sea, to make the setting as realistic as possible.

Pre- Reading Activities

when examining the cover what do you think the story is about
what is happening in the picture?
where does the story take place? How do you know?
what does the title A Light in the Dunes mean to you?
Discuss how you feel about the image of the woman in the background.


	*Art Activities* out of clay or Plasticine create a statue of the witch display the statues of the students create sand pictures using fine sand and powder paint on a post card draw the characters from the story Photography - take photographs of still lifes, such found on the beach ( rope, bottle, driftwood, seashells) and create collage take night pictures

						Witch made out of clay. Made by: Alicia Smith

Reading Comprehension

Chapter 1.

Where do you think Rikst and Thomas are being taken by the captors?
Describe the tension between the Rikst and Thomas and Ice Woman
What is Rikst afraid of?
Describe the images in Rikst's mind before she blacks out

Chapter .2.

Which grade is Rikst attending?
Describe Dirk's character
Why is Dirk teasing her about the witch?
Which event are Rikst, Marijke and her classmates excited about?
Why do you think Rikst gets upset when her mom suggests the topic for the essay contest?
Why did Rikst and Bram go to the beach in stormy weather?
After Rikst and Bram found the body, Rikst had a strange experience. Describe what she felt and what she thought she saw

Chapter .3.

Describe Thomas his cottage
What do Thomas, Rikst and Bram discover when they return to the beach?
What did Rikst write in her diary that you found important?
How does Rikst prepare for the fifth of December?

Chapter .4.

Describe what Rikst and Bas experienced at the west end of the island
What did Piet tell Rikst and Bas, when they were up in the dome of the lighthouse?
Why does Rikst get frustrated when she asks her mom about her name?
How did Rikst compare herself to the witch? What did she have in common?

Chapter .5.

What happened in the library when Rikst and Marijke were finding books for research of their essay?
How did Rikst feel about her encounter with Dirk?
Which character did Marijke choose for her essay?
What happened to Rikst once she started reading the legends of Friesland?

Chapter 6.

Describe Mr. Visser, Rikst's Math Teacher and how his treatment of girls
Why are girls not allowed on the street on the Eve of Sunderklazen and what will happen to them if they do?
Where do Rikst and Marijke hide?
Why is the accident with the music box upsetting?
What is different about the Sunderklaas this year and why?

Chapter 7.

Who did Rikst bump into in the jeans store and why did she found it odd?
What did Rikst and Bas discover when they picked up Boukje from the ferry?
Why is there a gift exchange on the fifth of December?
Can you describe Bas' hobby?
How does Rikst approach the essay contest?

Chapter 8.

When does Rikst speak to her father about her name and how does he react?
What had happened at the western part of the island during the storm?
Why do Bas and Rikst follow the tire tracks up the dune leading to the bunkers?
What did they watch while hiding in the bushes?
Why do you think Ice-woman asked Bas and Rikst where she could rent bicycles?

Chapter 9.

What is Thomas trying to find out about the three 'tourists'?
Who were the strange visitors Mom talked to at the museum and how did the 'Woman' made Mom feel?
How does Rikst feel about Mom typing her story?

Chapter 10.

What do Bas and Rikst discover as they watch the bunkers from their hiding place?
Why were the three 'tourists' using the bunkers?
What did Thomas find out during his investigations?
And what kind of information did Boukje have?

Chapter 11.

Why is Dirk so friendly and what did he disclose about his dad and Rikst's mom?
How does Dirk's new behaviour affect Rikst?
How does Officer Kievit respond to their investigation?
Discus the significance of Rikst's entry in her diary on December 11

Chapter 12.

What happened to Rikst's short story?
What is happening to her relationship with Marijke and why?
What was Rikst idea about the behaviour of the three 'tourists'?
How will they find out?

Chapter 13.

What happened when they biked to the bunkers?
What did Bas get and what was in the package?
What do they think the small mound of freshly turned sand on the side of the bunker is?
Where do they take the package?

Chapter 14.

Why are they staying over at Thomas'' cottage?
Why is Officer Kievit not involved?
What do they see lying on top of the dune in the dark night?
How did Ice-woman's actions relate to the legend of the Witch of the bird sanctuary?

Chapter 15.

Who do they find at the police station this time?
What did Rikst discover when she opened the latch at the bottom of the music box?
Why does Rikst feel apprehensive when she closes the curtains in the living room?

Chapter 16.

Why is Marijke angry with Rikst?
Briefly describe how Rikst's day went?
Why did Thomas wait at the school?
Which story does Thomas tell Rikst about the ghost of Rixt?
What happened when Thomas and Rikst looked at the freshly dug grave?

Chapter 17.

What does Rikst realize as she wakes up?
Explain Mom's words: "Oh Rikst. Oh, my baby. I thought I'd lost you, too."
Which clues gave the rescuers the indication that Rikst and Thomas might be at the lighthouse?

Chapter 18.

Why do they check up on Thomas?
What do they find when they reach the cottage?
What does Thomas tell Rikst?
What do the inspectors ask Rikst and Bas?

Chapter 19.

How does Rikst feel when she climbs the dunes again?
What does Ice-woman tell Rikst?
Why does Rikst think that she is dead?

Chapter 20.

Who wins the story contest and what does this mean for Rikst?
Why did Bas keep the statue of Rixt a secret?
Briefly describe Mom's story about the baby and the naming of Rikst after the witch
Why did Mom hold on to this secret for so long?