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Reading schedule · Grades 9–12

The Pilgrim's Progress in 4 Weeks: A Reading Schedule

A four-week plan for reading The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, one section a week. Each week gives the reading, a short summary of what happens, three discussion questions and the escape room that goes with it. For grades 9–12, in class or at home.

Pacing

Rhetoric-stage students (grades 9–12) can read a section a week independently, with time to annotate and to write. The questions suit seminar discussion or short written responses, and the escape room makes a quick check on the reading before the conversation or the essay. Some sections are much longer than others, so look ahead and give the heaviest weeks extra time.

Each week ends with an escape room on that week's reading: seven self-checking locks that run in any browser, with no logins, and progress is saved, so a room can be finished another day. Every room has free taster locks to try, and members can open them all.

Print this schedule Escape rooms on The Pilgrim's Progress

Week 1: From the City of Destruction to the Cross

Read: From the City of Destruction to the Cross

Christian flees the City of Destruction with a heavy burden on his back, guided by Evangelist, while Obstinate and Pliable turn back. He struggles through the Slough of Despond, is misled by Mr Worldly Wiseman, enters at the gate with Good-will's help, learns from the sights in the Interpreter's House, and loses his burden at the Cross.

Discussion questions

1. What does Christian's burden stand for?
2. Why is Mr Worldly Wiseman's advice so tempting?
3. Why does Christian lose his burden at the Cross and nowhere else?

Escape room: The Heavy Burden (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pilgrims-progress-from-the-city-of-destruction-to-the-cross/)

Week 2: From the Hill Difficulty to the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Read: From the Hill Difficulty to the Valley of the Shadow of Death

Christian climbs the Hill Difficulty, rests in an arbour and loses his roll, meets Timorous and Mistrust running back, and passes the chained lions to the palace called Beautiful. Armed there, he fights Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation, then passes through the dark valley that follows and the cave of the two giants.

Discussion questions

1. Why are the lions chained, and why can Christian not see the chains at first?
2. What does the armour from the palace represent?
3. How does Christian defeat Apollyon?

Escape room: The Lions in the Way (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pilgrims-progress-from-the-hill-difficulty-to-the-valley-of-the-shadow-of-death/)

Week 3: From the Meeting with Faithful to Doubting Castle

Read: From the Meeting with Faithful to Doubting Castle

Christian meets Faithful, hears his story, and they deal with Talkative before Evangelist warns them of what lies ahead. At Vanity Fair they are tried before Lord Hate-good and Faithful dies; Hopeful joins Christian, they pass By-ends and Demas at the silver mine, stray into By-path Meadow and are thrown into the dungeon of Doubting Castle.

Discussion questions

1. What is Vanity Fair, and why do the pilgrims refuse to buy?
2. Why does Christian take the easier path into By-path Meadow?
3. How do Christian and Hopeful escape from Doubting Castle?

Escape room: The Fair and the Castle (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pilgrims-progress-from-the-meeting-with-faithful-to-doubting-castle/)

Week 4: From the Delectable Mountains to the Celestial City

Read: From the Delectable Mountains to the Celestial City

On the Delectable Mountains four shepherds show the pilgrims what lies around them, and they meet Ignorance, hear the story of Little-Faith, are caught in the Flatterer's net and pass the Atheist. They cross the Enchanted Ground and the country of Beulah, go through the river with no bridge and reach the gate of the City, and the story ends with Ignorance.

Discussion questions

1. Which dangers on this last stretch are hardest to see?
2. Why do Christian and Hopeful find the river so different?
3. Why does the story end with Ignorance?

Escape room: The Last River (lockedlessons.com/rooms/pilgrims-progress-from-the-delectable-mountains-to-the-celestial-city/)