2. Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer is the New York Times best-selling author
of the blockbuster Artemis Fowl series. He was born in
Wexford on the southeast coast of Ireland in 1965, where he
and his four brothers were brought up by his father (an
elementary school teacher, historian and artist of note) and
mother (a drama teacher). He first developed an interest in
writing in primary (elementary) school with gripping Viking
stories inspired by history that he was learning in school at the
time. Eoin got his degree from Dublin University and qualified as
a primary school teacher, returning to work in Wexford. He
married in 1991 and he and his wife spent about 4 years
between 1992 and 1996 working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and
Italy.
In 2001, the first Artemis Fowl book was published worldwide to
much success shortly thereafter he left teaching to concentrate
fully on his writing. To this day, Eoin has written 6 Artemis Fowl
books which have sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
3. Fantasy
• A fantasy incorporates elements of
imagination and magic as regular
additions to the plot. It depends upon
the reader’s “Suspension of Disbelief” in
order to work.
• Verisimilitude is important because
even the unbelievable needs to appear
believable within the context of the
novel.
5. Magic works!
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mesmer—hypnosis or mind-control
Shielding—shimmer or glamour
LEPRecon—Lower Elements Police
Retrieval Unit
The Ritual
Hospitality Law/Rule of Dwelling
Gift of Tongues
9. "Sun did not suit Artemis.
He did not look well in
it. Long hours indoors
in front of a computer
screen had bleached
the glow from his skin.
He was white as a
vampire and almost as
pasty in the light of
day.”
―from Artemis Fowl
10.
11.
12.
13. "A genius. A criminal mastermind. A
millionaire. And he is only twelve
years old."
―Back cover of Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl II is a child prodigy who is
originally an adversary but eventually
an ally of the fairy civilization. He has
Irish ancestors, black hair, blue eyes,
very pale skin, a nearly
dysfunctional family with an elaborate
history of crime, a loyal manservant
and bodyguard called Butler, millions of
euros at his disposal, and the highest
intelligence of his generation. He is also
a criminally good genius who thinks of
ingenious yet wicked schemes in order
to restore his family's fortune.
14. Using his brains, Butler’s brawn and the boundless
family fortune, Artemis locates and translates the
book. The latter task is no mean feat. Computer
screens blaring “NEGATIVE” sprawl across the pages
where other panels explore the real world Artemis
lives in: A dark, eerie mansion too vast and empty
for one little boy and his delusional mother. Artemis
finally solves the puzzle and states with no emotion
whatsoever that fairies are now under his command,
bound “to help me restore the financial fortune and
the criminal reputation of the Fowl Family”... if only
he can find one.
15. Artemis Fowl Book One
Man v. Society--crime
In Artemis Fowl, while performing The Ritual, Holly is
kidnapped by Artemis Fowl and Butler, taking her to Fowl
Manor. There, she is kept in a cell and Artemis tells
Commander Root that they can only get Holly back if they
pay a ransom of one ton of 24 carat gold. Root refuses and
launches a time-stop to save Holly. The LEP lays siege to
Fowl Manor for eight hours. She manages to complete The
Ritual while in her cell and escapes, not long after
the LEP send in a squad to save her. Holly almost dies
during this escapade, which involved saving and healing
Butler after their fighting with a troll. Holly is set free after
the LEP send in the gold in exchange for the still-alive
Holly. The LEP then bio-bombs the house and assumes
Fowl is dead; however, they underestimated Fowl because
he becomes the first human to escape the time-stop.
Artemis also gives back half of the gold in exchange for the
healing of his mother. Mulch Diggums steals a large-sized
portion of the gold left over.
23. Nguyen Xuan
In the first book, Artemis Fowl
II reads the Book of the fairies.
Artemis gained the information
about the possible whereabouts
of a fairy with such a book from a
man named Nguyen Xuan, who
responded to an Internet query
that Artemis had posted. Artemis
then took the Book from a Fairy
healer, who traded a half hour of
looking at the Book for her life
and the return of her magic.
Artemis Fowl II uses the Book
against the People for their gold.
24. If someone touches a
copy of the Book without
the permission of its
owner, it spontaneously
combusts. It is described
as a "tiny golden volume
the size of a matchbox".
It is inscribed in the fairy
language of Gnommish.
which Artemis Fowl II
learns how to read fairly
quickly. Soon enough,
the young boy learns
most secrets, traditions,
and powers of the
People.
Supernatural—man vs. nature
27. Artemis Fowl Quotes
"Artemis was the closest thing Butler had to a friend, and
Butler was the closest thing Artemis had to a father,
albeit one who obeyed orders." Chapter 1
"The Book of the People.
Being Instructions to our Magicks
And Life Rules.
Carry me always, carry me well.
I am the teacher of herb and spell.
I am they link to power arcane.
Forget me and they magick shall wane.
Ten times ten commandments there be.
They will answer every mystery.
Cures, curses, alchemy.
These secrets shall be thine, through me.
But, Fairy, remember this above all.
I am not for those in mud that crawl.
And forever doomed shall be the one,
Who betrays my secrets one by one." Chapter 2
28.
29. The mesmer is a magical talent available to most
fairies, even if they haven't performed the ritual for
a long time, even fairies who have lost their magic,
can perform them. Certain humans also have the
talent. The mesmer requires eye contact and
therefore cannot be performed on someone
wearing mirrored glasses. It increases the chance
of IQ loss on stronger willed people. It is possible to
fight the Mesmer for a short time if cast on a
strong willed person such as Butler. The eye
contact needed for the mesmer can be obtained
through a digital screen.
The Rule of Dwelling, established by King Frond in The Book of the People,
forbade fairies to enter human buildings without an invitation. If a fairy
breaks the rule, he or she will get sick, with symptoms including nausea and
vomiting. If one does this repeatedly, he or she will lose his or her Magic.
30. The Ritual is what fairies have to The Supernatural—man vs. nature conflict
complete to replenish
their magic. It involves picking
an acorn from an ancient oak
tree next to a riverbend, then
burying it in another spot, saying
"I return you to the earth, and
claim the gift that is my right."
After they complete the ritual,
their magic is restored. Having
full magic is called "running hot"
by fairies. This is when they are
most dangerous. In the
original Artemis Fowl , Artemis
Later in the book, Holly realizes that her acorn
and Butler capture Holly
slipped into her boot, but is in a freshly
Short while she was completing
concreted cell. She manages to take her cot
the Ritual after a close
and slam it into the ground multiple times to
encounter with a Troll. She was
have a deep enough hole. She plants the acorn,
unable to escape since she had
restores her magic, and escapes into Fowl
used the few drops of magic she
Manor, mesmerizing Juliet Butler, and causing
had left on it.
general annoyance in her wake.
33. One of the many languages
that fairies can speak with
The Gift of Tongues is
Dog. Mulch
Diggums speaks Dog when
he is on the surface.
The Gift of Tongues is a power that the
People can use to understand and speak
all languages. Some fairies such
as Commander Julius Root do prefer not
to use their Gift of Tongues but
a translator instead because it "gives
them a headache". The Gift of Tongues is
a power that uses a small amount of
magic power shown by how the hag-sprite at the beginning of book one can
use the Gift of Tongues even though she
has been drinking wine for a long period
of time and has "dulled her senses and
reduced her to healing warts". Though, it
is revealed later that rice wine can
enhance magic, making the sprite more
able to use the Gift of Tongues.
36. The Main Antagonist
Holly Short is a captain in LEPRecon, first
becoming known for her involvement in
the Artemis Fowl affair.
Holly Short is an Elf
with the pointed ears
and nut-brown skin
usual for an Elf, crew
cut auburn hair, and
hazel. She stands at
100 centimeters, one
centimeter shorter
than average fairy
height. Her nose has a
hook and her mouth is
plump and cherubic,
which is appropriate
considering her greatgrandfather
is Cupid.
51. "Root was right to be nervous. If he'd known
how this straightforward Recon assignment
was going to turn out, he would probably
have retired then...”
52. Commander Julius Root was
the commander of the
Reconnaissance division of
the Lower Elements Police.
He was frequently angry, and
when angry, his face turns
red (thus earning him the
nickname "Beetroot").
53.
54. Foaly is a centaur who
is the LEP's head
technological advisor.
He is well known for his
strong friendship
with Holly Short and his
run-ins
with Commander
Root He also likes to
irritate Root. Foaly is
extremely proud of his
inventions (having
registered more
patents than any
living fairy) and codes
them all in the ancient
language Centaurian.
Unusually, Foaly is working for LEP, although he does not have any magic. LEP
does not recruit non-magical fairies, as stated in The Artemis Fowl Files.
60. Mulch can unhinge his jaw
and undo his bum flap to
tunnel underground and
seriously fast rates, all of
the mud and dirt shoots
straight out his bum. Also
when Mulches hair is
plucked it straightens out
like a needle which he uses
for lock- picking.
61. Mulch Diggums is a
kleptomaniac dwarf who has, his
long life, been on the run for his
crimes, particularly those
regarding thefts. He gave up
his magic after entering
human dwelling without being
invited in by the humans who
lived there. He was frequently
asked for help when Julius
Root was commander, namely
during the Fowl Manor siege.
Flatulence***
62.
63.
64.
65. Mulch in the cell
with goblin
Root approaching
whaler
66.
67.
68. Climax
• Butler and Artemis
capture Holly
• Holly performs ritual
and mesmers Juliet
• Butler fights troll and
dies; Holly’s magic
saves both of them
• Mulch escapes
• They drink champagne—biobomb explodes
• Artemis makes his wish and gets gold
• Angeline is returned to sanity
73. Foreshadowing
• Artemis says that he
will restore the family
fortune.
• He gets the Book and
translates it.
• He captures Holly…
• He is a genius…
74. Irony
• The Supernatural is not only
real, but high tech!
• Fairies, elves, sprites, trolls,
centaurs, dwarves, magic,
leprechauns, etc. are
believable and real.
• A 12 yr. old outwits them all
using their own tools & rules
against them and by using his
own youthful imagination and
his own high tech.
• Mulch knows what irony is—
he thinks!
Holly with
Neutrino 2000
75. Point of View—
third person,
author
omniscient, but
we are not told
Artemis’ whole
plan
78. Briar Cudgeon's background is not talked about much in any of the books, but it is
said that his family was politically powerful. In Artemis Fowl, he is a power-hungry
lieutenant in LEPrecon and is jealous of Commander Root's position. It also says that
he used to be Commander Root's roommate. They even grew up in the same tunnel,
and knew each other for over 600 years. He is one of the few people to call the
commander by his first name.
At first he just gives the impression of
being a pompous but essentially
harmless individual however his true
sinister nature soon emerges. He
is Retrieval One's leader, then becomes
Acting Commander. After an attempt to
exploit the situation and seize power, his
plan is thwarted and in a rage he
assaults Foaly. Root incapacitates him
with a tranquilizer dart that reacts with
some banned mind accelerating drugs
Cudgeon had been experimenting with,
resulting in him becoming deformed. He
is demoted to the rank of private and left
consumed with a desire for vengeance.
Briar Cudgeon
79. Chix Verbil is a Sprite, who,
like most male sprites, thinks
of himself as irresistible to
women. He is a private in
the LEPrecon.
Like most minor characters, Chix Verbil's personal history is not known. He
appears in Artemis Fowl, Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident and Artemis Fowl:
The Opal Deception. He is a member of LEPrecon and a friend (though he would
say boyfriend) of Holly Short.
In Artemis Fowl, Chix is present only briefly, as the sprite operating the troll's
cage during Briar Cudgeon's brief stint as Commander. He also is one of two
fairies guarding the gold from the Siege of Fowl Manor, but he fails to do so,
because he is too busy laughing at Commander Root. Mulch Diggums steals two
dozen bars and escapes.
80. Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm syndrome, or capture–bonding, is a psychological
phenomenon in which hostages express empathy and sympathy and have
positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the point of defending
them. These feelings are generally considered irrational in light of the
danger or risk endured by the victims, who essentially mistake a lack
of abuse from their captors for an act of kindness. This is recorded from an
incident during a Stockholm bank robbery in August 23-28, 1973, when
hostage employees were held while their captors negotiated with police.
Stockholm syndrome can be seen as a form of traumatic bonding, which
does not necessarily require a hostage scenario, but which describes
“strong emotional ties that develop between two persons where one
person intermittently harasses, beats, threatens, abuses, or intimidates the
other.” One commonly used hypothesis to explain the effect of Stockholm
syndrome is based on Freudian theory. It suggests that the bonding is the
individual’s response to trauma in becoming a victim. Identifying with the
aggressor is one way that the ego defends itself. When a victim believes
the same values as the aggressor, they cease to be a threat.
94. Content Questions on Artemis Fowl
Chapter 1
1. In what city does this scene take place?
2. In what country is that city?
3. The author mentions that Artemis has just arrived from a wildgoose chase. What city are they arriving from?
4. In what country is that city?
5. What was the name of their contact?
6. Where did they meet the contact?
7. What was Artemis looking for?
8. What happened to the pickpocket who attempted to steal Butler’s
wallet?
9. What did Artemis say to the old woman?
10. What did the old woman want to drink?
11. How much did Artemis pay the contact?
12. What did Artemis ask the old woman for?
13. How did Artemis trick the old woman?
14. What did Artemis do with the book?
95. Chapter 2
15. What was Artemis’s goal?
16. Who was he searching for?
17. What is Gnommish?
18. What was the name of Artemis mother?
19. Artemis told his mother he went on a school trip to ____.
20. Artemis got a hit with his Power Translator Program. The symbol
was similar to the A_ _ _ s god r_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _n on
Tutankhamen’s inner chamber hieroglyphics.
21. The story says that the first written human stories were about
fairies. Do you believe this?
22. Almost every ______ pictogram or letter had an _____
counterpart.
23. The Anubis figure, dog god, was altered to read ___________.
24. Were the Fowls legendary criminals? Yes or No
96. Chapter 3
25. Cupid was the great grandfather of _______________.
26. Where was Recon located?
27. What was Holly’s occupation?
28. What did the troll feed on?
29. Titanium eggs were used for what purpose?
30. At what speed does the pod travel to the surface of the earth?
31. What will engulf the pod?
32. The text reads, “Sometimes she, Holly, wished that her ancestors
had stayed to fight it out with the Mud People.” Who are the Mud
People?
33. What was known as a fairy fort?
34. What complicated explanation do Mud People invent for a simple
phenomenon?
35. The troll crashed a ______________________.
36. Did Holly stop the Troll at the end and how?
97. Chapter 4
37. What is the lowest form of magic and that requires
only a trickle of power?
38. How did Artemis capture Holly?
39. Where is the Emerald Isle?
Circle one: Ireland England
40. About how long ago was the ancient fairy race?
41. What is the name of where time began?
42. LEP had several undercover operatives stationed in
Disneyland Paris working which exhibit?
43. What happens to a fairy when it takes spirits with
the Mud People?
44. What is the pet name Artemis’ mom calls him?
98. Chapter 5
45. What is the name of Holly’s boss?
46. What are centaurs?
47. At the beginning of the chapter, Foaly showed
what to Commander Root?
48. Artemis did what with Holly’s locator?
49. What did Butler say to the dock workers?
50. Why did Root call Nimbus?
51. Where did Foaly and Commander Root think
Holly was held?
52. How did Artemis trick Commander Root in
the whaling ship?
53. What did Artemis do to the whaling ship?
99. Chapter 6
54. Did Artemis’ father return when Juliet informed him that his father is
talking to his mother?
55. Who was Angeline talking to in her bedroom?
56. What object fell in Captain Short’s boot when she was kidnapped?
57. What did Artemis say that made Holly laugh?
58. What is truth serum?
59. What is it the fairies called Blue Rinse?
60. What did Butler try on his hand?
61. What happened to Retrieval Squadron as they tried to invade Fowl
Manor?
62. Why wasn’t it difficult for the fairies to stop time in the past, but
difficult now?
63. What creature that starts with a w stopped time in the past besides
fairies?
64. At the end of Chapter 6, does it seem Commander Root is going to play
by the rules?
100. Chapter 7
65. Who is Mulch and why is Retrieval Squad interested in
his abilities?
66. What incident happened in jail with Mulch and the
goblins?
67. Mulch calls Commander Root by what name?
68. Did Mulch dig his way into the house?
69. In what room did Mulch enter the house?
70. What did Mulch use to open a locked door?
71. Did the fairies trick Artemis in thinking that the house
was calm by controlling his (Artemis’) video cameras?
72. Did Captain Short escape from Fowl Manor?
73. Did Mulch go back to LEP Headquarters after escaping
Fowl Manor?
101. 74. Who was Mulch Diggums?
Chapter 8
75. Who is Foaly?
76. Who were Argon and Cumulus?
77. What did Lieutenant Cudgeon get approval from the Council
to send into Fowl Manor?
78. Why would they send this creature?
79. Who died at the beginning of the chapter?
80. Who came back to life after he/she died?
81. Did the troll survive? Circle: Yes No
82. What happened at the end of this chapter?
102. Chapter 9
83. Did the fairies pay the ransom Artemis asked for? Yes No
84. What did Artemis, Butler, and Juliet drink before falling asleep?
85. What did the fairies’ fire into Artemis’ house?
86. What caused the fairy soldiers to feel sick when they entered Fowl
Manor?
87. In the story, Artemis says, “Santa Claus is not descended from a Turkish
saint.” True or False
88. In the story Artemis said elves made shoes during the night and sprites
cleaned houses. True or False
89. The story says Santa Claus is a shadow of San D’Klass, the third king of
the Frond Elfin dynasty. Circle: True or False
90. He is also known as San the Deluded. True or False
91. How did Artemis escape the time-field?
92. Who was back to normal?
93. How much money did Artemis get in gold from the fairies?
94. Who stole the other half of the gold from the fairies?
95. Which two cities did Mulch think he was going to retire to?
A) Paris-London B) Monte Carlo- Manhattan C) Los Angeles-Miami
103. Artemis Fowl concluded
96. Did you enjoy this book? Why or why not?
97. Do you think that you would enjoy reading the
graphic novel more than the text? Did you listen to the
audio version of this book? If yes, compare it to
reading just the text.
98. Name 8 different mythological creatures mentioned
in this book. Name/describe one of each
99. This has been made into a soon-to-be-released
movie. Do you think that they can do a good job of it
on film?
100. How can you tell that the author, Eoin Colfer, is Irish?
104. Artemis Fowl Study Guide Part 1
1. How did Artemis recognize the waiter as his contact?
2. What happened to the pickpocket?
3. Why was Nguyen given $20,000?
4. What did Artemis do to get the fairy to show him the book?
5. Why did the fairy agree to show Artemis the book?
6. What did Artemis do to assure silence from the sprite?
7. Why was it so difficult for Artemis to shut down all the computers in his father’s study?
8. Why didn’t Commander Root want Holly on his squad?
9. What do fairies call humans?
10. While Root was talking to Holly he was interrupted by an emergency. What was the
emergency?
11. How did Holly get to the Earth’s surface?
12. Why couldn’t humans see Holly?
13. At first, Holly couldn’t go into the restaurant. Why not?
14. How did Holly keep the people inside the restaurant?
15. Why wouldn’t Holly’s shield come up?
16. Why didn’t Holly’s sensors find Artemis and Butler?
17. What is the mesmer and why didn’t it work on Artemis?
18. What did Butler find while Holly was unconscious?
105. Artemis Fowl Study Guide Part 1
Extended Response: Write at least 3-5 sentences to
fully explain your answer to each question.
1. Explain fully why Artemis wanted to find a fairy.
2. Explain what Artemis had to do to read the Fairy
Book.
3. Explain what happened to Artemis Fowl, Senior.
4. Describe the steps in the Ritual.
106. Artemis Fowl Study Guide Part 2
1. How did Commander Root learn of Holly’s abduction?
2. How was Root able to track Holly?
3. What did Artemis do with the locator band?
4. What did Artemis do while Butler was fighting the men on the dock?
5. Why couldn’t Foaly get a blueprint of the whaler?
6. Why did Artemis put the wrist locator in the whaler?
7. In her madness, what did Angeline do?
8. What did Holly find in her boot?
9. When do fairies operate best?
10. What did Trouble discover during the sound off?
11. What did the fairies use when they fought Butler?
12. What was Butler’s request of Grub after the fight?
13. Why didn’t Holly have to obey Juliet’s orders not to break the furniture?
14. What was behind the portrait of Artemis Senior?
15. Why was Holly banging the floor with the bed?
16. How did Mulch stop Butler from attacking him?
17. What was in the hidden compartment of the safe?
107. Artemis Fowl Study Guide Part 2
Extended Response: Write at least 3-5 sentences to
fully explain your answer to each question.
1. Explain the steps LEP will take in case of an
officer abduction.
2. Why did Mulch agree to Commander Root’s
plan?
3. Explain how Mulch broke into Fowl Manor and
what he did once inside.
4. How did Mulch escape? Why couldn’t Holly
escape?
108. Artemis Fowl Study Guide Part 3
1. What was Root’s plan for recovering the gold?
2. What was Cudgeon’s plan for recovering the gold?
3. How did Chix get the troll out of the cage?
4. Why didn’t Juliet want to go into the situation room with Butler?
5. Who came to rescue Juliet after the troll attacked Butler?
6. It didn’t work, but how did Holly try to stop the troll?
7. How was the troll finally defeated?
8. Why did Cudgeon miss all the excitement?
9. When sweeping for booby traps, what did Butler find?
10. What did Artemis send Holly back with?
11. After the bio bomb, what did the fairies have to do?
12. What caused Root and Grub to become sick?
13. What happened to the recovered ransom?
14. How did Butler, Juliet, and Artemis escape the time field?
15. How does Santa Claus deliver all his presents in one night?
16. Why did Artemis make a mistake when he allowed Holly Short to live?
17. Who is “the people’s greatest enemy” at the end of the story?
109. Artemis Fowl Study Guide Part 3
Extended Response: Write at least 3-5 sentences to
fully explain your answer to each question.
1. What is Stockholm Syndrome? Explain why it
could apply to Holly. Hint: see page 367.
2. What is Artemis’s wish, and what does he have
to do to get it?
3. Butler says fairies are “too human.” What do you
think he means?
4. Explain how Angeline Fowl was affected by the
kidnapping and rescue.