Metal Fish, Falling Snow

Introductory activities

To ensure that this unit treats the cultural content in Metal Fish, Falling Snow thoughtfully and safely, we consulted Colin Archibald, a Perth-based writer and performer with extensive experience in diversity and inclusion consulting. Colin has worked with organisations to create culturally responsive environments and unlock the potential of people from diverse backgrounds. He draws on his own experiences growing up as the child of Jamaican migrant parents in London during the 1980s. Below are his reflections on the text:

Metal Fish, Falling Snow offers a poignant and layered exploration of what it means to grow up with mixed heritage in Australia. In many ways it mirrors my life growing up in London during the 1980s, a decade defined by cultural tensions, emerging multiculturalism, and the lingering weight of assimilationist attitudes. The narrative hopefully allows readers to gain a better understanding of the unconscious bias so prevalent in Australia, where identity is still tightly bound to a predominantly Anglo-Celtic mainstream. For a child or young person of mixed heritage, this often means straddling two (or more) worlds without fully belonging to either. The book captures this dissonance with honesty: the awkward questions about ‘where you’re really from’, the unspoken pressure to downplay cultural difference, and the quiet comfort of family traditions that offer both grounding and, at times, a source of shame in a society that struggles to embrace diversity. What makes the book especially powerful is its reflection on cultural invisibility and how mixed-heritage children internalise feelings of displacement. Yet woven through the difficulties are moments of resilience: the forging of hybrid identities, the ability to navigate multiple cultural codes, and the creation of self-definition outside rigid social categories. Metal Fish, Falling Snow speaks not only to those who grew up with mixed heritage in Australia, but to anyone who has felt suspended between worlds.

Content warnings

Metal Fish, Falling Snow – the debut novel of Afro-Caribbean and Anglo-Irish writer Cath Moore – contains themes and scenes that may be emotionally challenging for some students. It is strongly recommended that you provide content warnings early and build classroom norms that prioritise empathy, respect, and student wellbeing. Sensitive topics in the text include:

For more strategies on how to introduce and manage content warnings in the classroom, refer to the Curtin Student Guild’s good practice guide.

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Identity and grief

Metal Fish, Falling Snow explores the complex journey of understanding and accepting one’s identity while navigating grief. A powerful entry point into the text is for students to reflect on their own sense of identity and belonging, as well as the complex nature of grief and loss.

Work through the following activities as a class.

Identity

Grief

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Context

Show students this clip from the ABC program Just Between Us. Afterwards, invite them to engage with Moore’s reflections using one of the following thinking routines. You can assign this or allow students to make their own choice.

Once students complete the routine, invite them to share their thinking with the rest of the class. You might record their responses under headings to show how perspectives connect and differ.

Autobiographical context

In the clip from Just Between Us, Moore speaks candidly about being biracial and growing up as a visible minority in Australia. She describes how her experiences shaped her understanding of difference and belonging, particularly the cultural invisibility she experienced in Canberra in the 1980s. Her comment that she ‘didn’t see any other families that looked like [hers]’ (01:38–02:06) underscores the emotional impact of growing up without representation.

These comments mirror Dylan’s internal struggles with identity in the novel. Students will start to see how Moore has drawn on her own life to inform her writing, and will gain valuable insight into how authors can write from lived experience, not just imagination.

Students can create a text-to-author ‘map’, matching specific details from Moore’s biography to events and/or characters in Metal Fish, Falling Snow.

As an optional extension, they can research another author they’ve studied and compare how each author’s lived experience informs their fiction.

Deepening understanding of identity

In the clip from Just Between Us, Moore explores how identity can be shaped by the environments and assumptions with which we grow up. She describes how, as a child, she ‘internalised this sense of shame about [her] blackness’ (00:20–00:25), and became acutely aware that her family was ‘in some way different to the way everybody else appeared to be’ (00:30–00:42).

Students should consider how societal norms influence self-worth and belonging, particularly for those outside the dominant culture. This will deepen their understanding of how cultural identity and race intersect with place, history, and community. These conversations will help students see that themes like identity and belonging are not abstract: they are deeply personal, emotional, and often unresolved.

Students can write a short personal reflection or creative response about a time when they felt different or out of place, connecting their own experience to Dylan’s journey.

Enhancing empathy and cultural awareness

Hearing Moore reflect on being racially misidentified as a child, and her feelings of not fitting in, may encourage students to think more critically and empathetically about other people’s lived experiences.

Moore’s reflections engage three key ideas:

In small groups, students can choose one of the anecdotes Moore shares in the video and create an ‘empathy map’ of what she might have been thinking, feeling, seeing, and experiencing in that moment. Compare this to Dylan’s experiences in the novel.

The author-text connection

Moore’s warmth and vulnerability in the clip from Just Between Us will help students to:

• Engage with the author as a real person, not just a name on a cover
• Understand the emotional and creative process behind the novel
• Approach the text with a more informed and reflective lens

Students can write a short paragraph predicting how their own identity or lived experiences might shape the kind of story they’d write.

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Personal response on reading the text

Keeping a journal

Metal Fish, Falling Snow explores complex and emotionally rich themes such as grief, identity, and belonging. Students may find themselves feeling confronted or deeply moved by the events of the novel. You might encourage them to keep a reflective reading journal to support their engagement with the text. This can include their thoughts, questions, emotional responses, and personal reflections. The aim is to foster active reading and help students develop a personal connection to Dylan’s story.

You might prompt students with questions like:

• What emotions did you experience during key events in the story?
• Were there moments that surprised, confused, or unsettled you? Why?
• How did your understanding of Dylan’s character evolve throughout the novel?
• Did you relate to Dylan or any of the other characters? In what way?
• What passages, images, or moments stood out to you? Why?

It may be helpful to model this process to build students’ confidence. As a class, read and discuss selected passages from Chapter 1 (pp. 1–15). Then jointly construct a journal entry on the board or in a shared document.

The following quotes may provide a starting point for students’ independent responses as they continue reading.

Quote 1

‘I break the yolk and watch as it runs the wrong way down my plate.’ (p. 1)

This seemingly simple observation offers a powerful glimpse into Dylan’s inner world. The phrase ‘the wrong way’ signals her sensitivity to order, expectations, and how things are ‘meant’ to behave, an idea that resonates deeply in the wake of her mother’s death, when nothing feels right.

It also reveals how Dylan experiences the world with heightened sensory awareness and emotional precision. Her fixation on the egg (its texture, behaviour, orientation) suggests a strong internal logic and pattern-seeking approach to her surroundings. This could be read as neurodivergence, a trauma response, or both.

In the broader context of Chapter 1, this moment sets the tone for Dylan’s disconnection and discomfort in a world that no longer feels predictable or safe. It’s also a quiet act of resistance; she refuses to eat the yolk, ‘even though it’s the best part of the egg’ (p. 2). This becomes symbolic of her struggle to process grief, control her environment, and navigate other people’s expectations (especially Pat’s).

Discuss:

• What does this small moment reveal about Dylan’s emotional state?
• Why might the direction that the egg yolk runs matter to her?
• How is this detail connected to Dylan’s experience of grief?
• Can you think of other moments in Chapter 1 where Dylan seems particularly sensitive to sounds, textures, or disruptions?
• What do you think Dylan means by ‘the wrong way’? Is there always a ‘right’ way?

As an optional extension, invite students to think of a small, detailed moment from their own life that felt unexpectedly emotional, frustrating, or meaningful, and write a short reflection on it. They should consider:

• Why did this moment stick with them?
• Was it about something bigger?
• How did they feel at the time? How might this compare to how Dylan is feeling at the start of Chapter 1?

Quote 2

‘Mum had the safe kind of skin …’ (p. 10)

Dylan is reflecting on her skin colour and the way people perceive her. Her mother ‘blended in’ in Beyen because she was a white woman, but Dylan’s dark skin draws unwanted attention and racism.

This quote opens up important conversations about racial identity and how a person’s physical appearance can shape their sense of safety, belonging, and visibility in the world. It invites students to reflect on how societal structures and attitudes impact personal identity, especially for people who exist outside dominant cultural norms. These discussions must be approached with empathy and sensitivity, as there may be students in your class who have had similar experiences of exclusion, judgment, or racism. Creating a safe and respectful classroom environment is essential when exploring these themes.

Discuss:

• What do you think Dylan means by ‘safe’ skin?
• How does this moment help us understand her experience of the world?
• Have you ever felt like the way you look changed how others treated you?

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A letter to Dylan

Over the course of Metal Fish, Falling Snow, Dylan undertakes a profound personal journey. She grapples with grief, identity, and what it means to belong, ultimately learning that she can carry her family heritage and herself forward in a new way.

Once students have finished reading the text, they can write a letter to Dylan to reflect on both her journey and their own. This will allow them to practise empathy and perspective-taking while synthesising key ideas. It will also encourage them to revisit pivotal moments and think critically about the emotional and thematic impact of the novel.

Students should aim to write about one page. In the letter, they should:

• Reflect on Dylan’s growth across the story
• Offer their thoughts, advice, or encouragement based on what she’s experienced
• Share how reading her story made them feel or what it made them think about (e.g. identity, loss, family, belonging, self-worth)
• Optionally, include a personal anecdote or connection to show Dylan that she’s not alone

Discuss (before or after writing):

• What do you think Dylan has learned by the end of the novel?
• If you could talk to her, what would you say?
• Has this story changed the way you think about anything in your own life?

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Outline of key elements of the text

Plot

Plot map with mood markers

Students can map the key events of the novel on a visual timeline, adding symbols (e.g. colours, emojis, keywords) to represent Dylan’s emotional state. They should also highlight the turning points in her psychological/emotional journey using circles, arrows, etc.

Jigsaw chapter summaries

Assign different chapters to small groups of students. Students will summarise the events, identify the key moments, and explain each chapter’s significance to the overall narrative. They can then share their findings using the jigsaw strategy.

Plot rewind or rewrite

Students will choose one moment in the novel when things could have gone differently (e.g. Juliet’s accident, one of Pat’s decisions, something Dylan says or does). They are to write an alternative version of this moment and reflect on how this change might affect Dylan’s growth or the novel’s outcome.

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Character

Collage: who is Dylan?

Students can create a visual or textual collage (digital or hardcopy) that represents Dylan. They can incorporate quotes, images, colours, symbols, and objects from the novel (e.g. the metal fish, the snow globe, a fork). You might prompt by asking:

Who is Dylan at the start of the novel? Who is she by the end?

Empathy interview

Students can write and present a fictional interview with a character from the novel (e.g. Dylan, Pat, William, Joni). Their responses should reflect the character’s voice, background, and motivations. Peer groups could be used to provide feedback on the accuracy and depth of understanding demonstrated.

Relationship map

Ask students to create a visual map that shows how Dylan’s relationships evolve over the course of the novel (e.g. with Pat, William, her mother). Use arrows, colours, and/or symbols to show tension, growth, loss, and reconciliation.

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Themes

Theme tracking chart

Students can select a theme (e.g. identity, grief, belonging, family) and create a chart to track it across the novel. For each chapter or key moment, they can record:

• What the text says
• What it reveals about the theme
• Any personal reflections or questions

Quote wall

As a class, create a wall of quotes (physical or digital) that connect to major themes. Each student should contribute at least one quote, annotate it, and link it to one or more themes. If applicable, discuss how different students interpreted the same quote(s) in diverse ways.

Theme-to-text connection

Ask students to identify a theme from the novel and write a personal or creative response that connects it to their own life, another text, or a current social issue. You might prompt by asking questions like:

• What does belonging mean to you?
• Where have you seen racism or exclusion challenged (in fiction or real life)?

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Synthesising task

Character and theme through close text analysis

This task invites students to apply what they have learned about character development and thematic exploration by analysing selected passages from Metal Fish, Falling Snow. They will examine how Moore’s characters are revealed through their thoughts, actions, language choices, and social interactions, and how these elements illuminate key themes such as identity, grief, belonging, and family.

1. Provide small groups of students with one or more short passages from the text (or allow them to choose their own). Options include:
   1. 10–11 (characterisation of Pat)
   2. 11–14 (identity)
   3. 85–86 (grief)
   4. 87–88 (Pat and Dylan’s relationship)
   5. 235–237 (family)
2. Students annotate the following:
   1. What the passage reveals about the character(s), both directly and indirectly
   2. Which themes are explored and how they are conveyed
   3. Authorial techniques used (e.g. metaphor, symbolism)
3. Students present their findings to the class or write a short response to synthesise their analysis.

If students need help getting started, you can ask or display some prompts like:

• How is the character’s inner world shown without being explicitly stated?
• What theme is being explored here? How is it developed through the character’s actions or thoughts?
• What does the language suggest about the character’s emotional or psychological state?
• How do these moments build empathy in the reader?

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The writer’s craft

Narrative structure

Metal Fish, Falling Snow follows a non-linear narrative structure, mirroring Dylan’s fractured emotional state and the messy nature of memory and grief. The story moves between present-day events, dreamlike visions, and moments from the past, often without clear transitions. This fragmented structure reflects Dylan’s struggle to make sense of events leading up to and following her mother’s death.

Moore deliberately blurs the lines between reality, memory, and imagination, inviting the reader to process the world as Dylan sees it. Instead of moving forward, as time does, she revisits the recent and distant past to process her thoughts on loss, identity, and belonging. The effect is disorienting at times, just as grief and trauma are, but also poetic and intimate.

Choose a section of the novel that shifts between Dylan’s present and a memory. Have students record each shift in the passage. For example, on pp. 46–50:

For each shift, students should:

• Identify the emotion(s) Dylan is experiencing
• Explain how the shift helps readers understand Dylan’s thoughts, feelings, and way of seeing the world

Afterwards, discuss:

• Why does Moore interrupt the present journey with memories instead of telling Dylan’s story chronologically?
• How might the sentence that runs over pp. 48–49 (about trying to keep the letters ‘in the right order’) be read as a comment on the structure of the novel itself?

Characterisation

Moore develops Dylan’s character through deeply personal and idiosyncratic narration. Dylan is observant, self-protective, funny, and fragile. Her thoughts are shaped by grief, displacement, and a longing for connection.

Read pp. 68–69 as a class (from ‘What am I afraid of?’ to ‘Just sick’). Students are to analyse this passage, identifying the following literary features:

They can then write a paragraph that responds to the question:

How does Moore use imagery and humour to develop Dylan’s voice?

A sample paragraph has been provided:

In this passage, Moore uses a range of techniques to highlight Dylan’s unique way of looking at the world. The use of personification (‘the sun is looking for the other side of the world’) and simile (‘like a shocked horse’) suggests that Dylan interprets her surroundings imaginatively rather than just factually. Ordinary, everyday things take on extra meaning or character in her eyes. Her short, sharp observations (‘Cows never look afraid’) and quirky word choices (‘vegetarian egalitarians’) provide humour, contrasting with the serious tone of the previous chapter. Although Dylan has wisdom and a vocabulary beyond her years, her playful and unfiltered way of speaking reminds us that she is still a child. This contributes to her unusual but endearing narrative voice and helps readers to connect with her unexpected way of thinking.

Setting

In Metal Fish, Falling Snow, the setting is more than just a backdrop. It reflects Dylan’s emotional state and amplifies key moments of intensity, confusion, and transformation. Weather, landscape, and sensory details work together to express what Dylan struggles to say directly.

Read pp. 33–35 as a class (from ‘Margie’s house’ to ‘potato race’). Have students:

• Annotate the passage for imagery, particularly that related to weather, sound, and nature (e.g. ‘dark clouds’, ‘howling wind’, ‘booming thunder’).
• Identify how the setting reflects Dylan’s emotional experience.
• Consider the role of the storm, the crying birds, and the sudden stillness. How do these elements symbolise Dylan’s fear, confusion, and grief?

Afterwards, discuss:

• How does Moore use the natural world to echo or intensify the emotional stakes of this moment?
• What might the baby birds and the storm symbolise?
• Why do you think the storm stops immediately after Dylan’s mother falls? What is the effect of this contrast?
• In what ways does the setting feel alive or magical in this scene?
• Do you believe that a storm actually happened? If not, why?

Sometimes, instead of naming her emotions, Dylan will describe her sensory perceptions in relation to her surroundings. This not only reflects how a young person might process trauma, but also builds empathy by immersing readers in Dylan’s emotional reality. It’s a powerful example of showing rather than telling, and it’s central to Moore’s narrative style.

Provide students with a list of sensory descriptions from the novel (e.g. of storms, sounds, images, textures). Ask them to annotate the description and/or discuss:

What emotion could this sensory detail represent? Why?

Symbolism

Moore uses symbolism to express emotions and ideas that Dylan cannot always articulate. Objects, animals, and natural elements take on metaphorical weight, reflecting Dylan’s inner turmoil, longing, and eventual transformation. These symbols give the novel a poetic undertone, inviting readers to explore ideas about emotional survival, cultural/familial disconnection, memory, and personal growth. Through symbolism, Moore gives shape to the unseen forces that influence Dylan’s journey.

Place large sheets of paper around the classroom, each labelled with a different symbol (see table below). You might like to print/draw a picture of the symbol and add a key quote from the novel.

Have students form small groups and rotate between stations, adding sticky notes or short annotations in response to the following prompts:

• What does this symbol represent?
• Which themes does it connect to?
• How does it deepen our understanding of Dylan?

Afterwards, the groups can share their ideas with the rest of the class.

Use of parallels and contrasts

Moore uses contrast to add depth and provide insight into her characters. Notable contrasts include Dylan vs Pat (who also share some parallels), mother vs father, innocence vs loss, and imagination vs reality.

In pairs, students can list the physical contrasts in the novel (e.g. light and dark, calm and storm) and link them to Dylan’s emotional state.

Point of view

The first-person narration in Metal Fish, Falling Snow allows readers to access Dylan’s private fears and fantasies. She is not always a reliable narrator, and what she leaves unsaid is as powerful as what she chooses to reveal.

Have students rewrite the funeral scene (pp. 17–20) from Pat’s perspective. What literary features would suit his character compared to Dylan?

Afterwards, have students reflect on the following:

What do we learn when the point of view shifts?

Voice

Dylan’s voice is lyrical, sharp, and emotionally rich. Her use of idiom, metaphor, and humour gives the narration rhythm and relatability.

Read pp. 59–60 as a class (from ‘Ahead I can see’ to ‘between her wrinkles’). Ask students to identify three interesting word choices or figurative phrases from this passage. Then have them complete the following sentence starter:

Through the use of the [word/phrase] … Moore characterises Dylan as …

Language and style

Moore blends formal and informal diction and poetic and blunt sentence styles. She uses rich imagery across all the senses, not just the visual (e.g. auditory, ‘a plague of cicadas’, p. 35; olfactory, ‘sweet like condensed milk straight from the can’, pp. 209–210).

As a class, examine the simile on p. 67 (‘Subtext is like a truth submarine’) to unpack how figurative language reveals emotional depth and character insight. Be sure to read the surrounding paragraphs for context before you begin.

At the sentence level, this simile tells us that Dylan has interpreted Pat’s angry outburst as containing a deeper, unspoken truth – that he blames her for her mother’s death – and she has internalised this guilt. You might scaffold an extended paragraph as follows:

Other passages you could use for joint or individual analysis include:

• 59 (from ‘Ahead I can see’ to ‘even if it hurt’)
• 82–83 (from ‘Happiness is’ to ‘brush themselves’)
• 106 (from ‘The machines’ to ‘cheer myself up’)

Similes and metaphors

As explored above, Moore’s writing is rich with figurative language that deepens our understanding of Dylan’s emotional world. Her use of similes and metaphors blends the literal and symbolic, helping Dylan explore feelings and ideas that are sometimes hard to convey (e.g. grief, fear, identity, disconnection). These devices:

• Offer surprising comparisons that reflect Dylan’s unique voice and inner life
• Express the complexities of grief, identity, belonging, and emotional shifts
• Help the reader to visualise abstract feelings or intangible experiences

Examples from Metal Fish, Falling Snow include (but are not limited to):

Work through the following activities with students:

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Text and meaning

Metal Fish, Falling Snow explores a rich tapestry of themes that reflect the emotional, cultural, and psychological complexities of growing up, grieving, and finding your place in the world. Through Dylan’s physical and emotional journey, Moore delves into questions about identity, race, family, and belonging. She uses sensory language and weaves in elements of magical realism to express what can’t always be said aloud. The novel’s layered themes invite readers to reflect on how we carry loss, how we search for home, and how the things left unsaid can shape us just as powerfully as those spoken.

Identity

Moore explores identity as shifting and often painful, especially for biracial and bicultural individuals. For most of the story, Dylan feels ‘weighed down’ by her dark skin (p.12). Her mixed heritage creates confusion and isolation, and her attempts to scrub the colour from her skin reveal her deep yearning to belong. Moore conveys the idea that identity is not just inherited, but is shaped by personal experience, social perception, and internal conflict.

Students can annotate passages in which Dylan struggles with her identity, noting cause (experience), effect (emotion), and technique (language/imagery).

Afterwards, discuss:

• How do Dylan’s experiences as a young biracial person shape her interactions with others?
• Does this resonate with or differ from your own experiences of identity (and how)?

Grief

Grief in Metal Fish, Falling Snow is raw, chaotic, and deeply embodied. In a particularly vulnerable moment, Dylan asks, ‘Am I still real? Do you see me?’ (p. 21), revealing how the loss of her mother has shaken her very sense of self. Grief destabilises Dylan’s language, memory, and physical reality, to the point that she fears she is ‘losing it all’ (p. 21). Moore demonstrates that grief is not just about missing someone; it is about trying to reconstruct yourself in the aftermath of a loss.

Examine the ways Moore ‘shows’ rather than ‘tells’ by having students select lines that express grief and loss, and identify the sensory or figurative language used to convey it.

As an optional extension, students can write a brief reflection or narrative using sensory details to express an emotion without naming it.

Family

Moore portrays family as complex and imperfect. Importantly, it can be chosen rather than strictly biological. In the penultimate chapter of their journey together, Dylan reflects on her connection with Pat (p. 147, from ‘Even though we came’ to ‘same needle’). This passage captures their emotional entanglement, a relationship marked by pain, duty, and reluctant affection. Moore suggests that while family can be fractured and messy, it can also be stitched together through care and connection.

Ask students to create a relationship web mapping the connections between Dylan and other characters in the novel, noting emotions, obligations, and conflicts.

Afterwards, discuss:

How does Moore suggest that family can be chosen as well as inherited?

Belonging

Belonging is one of Dylan’s deepest unmet needs throughout the novel. In the opening chapter, she reflects on the impossibility of belonging ‘without someone to love’ (p. 4). This reveals how, for her, love and connection are prerequisites to feeling grounded in a place. Dylan sees her mother as her anchor, someone to return ‘home’ with. This fuels her desire to reach Paris, the place of ‘her [mother’s] belonging’ (pp. 4–5). By the end of the novel, however, belonging has become something that Dylan can choose. William expresses his wish for her to have both a place and a person to belong to (p. 189). He offers not only a physical home, but a stable and caring relationship. Through Dylan’s journey, Moore suggests that belonging is not something you simply find, but something that must be built through love, acceptance, and reciprocity.

Have pairs of students locate and discuss quotes about belonging from the novel. Then build a class chart to answer the questions:

• What does ‘belonging’ mean for Dylan?
• What does it mean in general?

Afterwards, discuss:

How do love and connection influence whether someone feels like they belong?

Coming of age

Dylan’s narrative is a raw, poetic bildungsroman. Her coming of age is shaped by grief, identity, and the search for belonging. Through dreamlike experiences, emotional breakdowns, and acts of bravery, she matures in her understanding of self, family, and the past. Moore presents this journey as painful but transformative, showing how growth often comes through struggle. Towards the end of the novel, Dylan reflects on hear learnings about both water and her skin (p. 241). This represents a shift in Dylan’s thinking from self-blame and fear towards clarity and self-acceptance.

Ask students to identify key turning points in Dylan’s journey and link them to areas of thematic growth (e.g. identity, grief, belonging).

Afterwards, discuss:

Which events most shape Dylan’s understanding of herself and why?

Death

Death is a constant presence in Metal Fish, Falling Snow, shaping Dylan’s world through memory, absence, and emotional disorientation. Her statement about emptiness near the bottom of p. 36 captures the weight of her grief and her desire to retreat from a reality too painful to bear. Moore draws on the surreal to show how death is not simply the ending of one life but a transformation of those still living. Dylan’s grief distorts time, space, and logic, reminding readers that loss is not just felt but lived. Through this, Moore reveals that the death of a loved one can fracture reality while becoming the catalyst for a transformative experience.

Students could annotate passages that blend realism and surrealism in conveying Dylan’s experience of loss. Specifically, they could look at the scenes in Chapter 4 that describe her mother’s death (pp. 33–38).

Afterwards, discuss:

How does Moore make grief feel ‘lived’ rather than abstract?

Race and racism

Race is a powerful and painful theme, shaping how Dylan sees herself and how she is perceived by others. For most of her life she has experienced stares, slurs, and subtle exclusions that have made her feel like an outsider. Dylan’s discomfort with her appearance reflects internalised racism and an intense desire to belong. She expresses this very early in the novel, describing her dark skin as ‘wrong’ (p. 12) and ‘loud’ (p. 14). Moore uses this and other moments to highlight Dylan’s sense of hypervisibility and alienation. The repeated references to the wolf symbolise Dylan’s fear of her own blackness: as something wild or dangerous that cannot be controlled.

Students can create a chart that compares the way Dylan sees herself with the way other characters see her. Remind them to include textual evidence.

Afterwards, discuss:

How do subtle exclusions and a sense of hypervisibility impact Dylan’s sense of self?

Memory

Memory in Metal Fish, Falling Snow is fluid and unreliable, shaped by trauma, longing, and absence. Dylan ponders the shifting and changing nature of memory (p. 188) as she tries to make sense of her father’s story and her connection to William. Moore shows us how memory can both comfort and wound, especially when grieving or searching for identity. Dylan memories, especially those of her mother, are tightly held but often fragmented, having been reshaped by emotion or uncertainty. Moore suggests that memory is not fixed but alive, and allows Dylan’s to shift alongside her understanding of herself and the past.

Students can select passages from the novel in which Dylan describes memories. For each passage, discuss or annotate the following:

• Is the memory complete, fragmented, or unreliable?
• How does Moore’s language convey the shifting or emotional nature of the memory?
• What does the memory reveal about Dylan’s identity, feelings, or relationships?

Place

Place is closely tied to Dylan’s emotional state and sense of identity. The physical landscape often mirrors her feelings of confusion, loss, and disconnection. On p. 127, she expresses a feeling that she and Pat have ‘been travelling just to stay in the same spot’ (p. 127). The vast, empty landscape reflects her internal sense of being stuck: she is moving forward physically, but not emotionally. As discussed in relation to Setting, the places Dylan visits are more than just a backdrop – they are a reflection of her inner world.

Students can select three to four key places in the novel and annotate how Moore describes them, focusing on language, imagery, and emotional tone. They should then explain the significance of this place in relation to Dylan and her journey.

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Meaning in context

Understanding Metal Fish, Falling Snow involves paying attention to both the author’s and the reader’s context. Moore draws heavily on her lived experience as a biracial woman in Australia. Her reflections on cultural invisibility, internalised racism, and the search for belonging are critical to Dylan’s voice and emotional journey. The novel’s meaning is shaped by Moore’s desire to challenge dominant narratives and make space for complex identities that are often marginalised in Australian literature and society.

Students’ own contexts – including their cultural background, family structure, beliefs, and personal experiences – will shape how they interpret the text. Dylan’s story may offer recognition for some students and new perspectives for others. Discussions of racism, spirituality, and grief may resonate differently depending on students’ lived experiences, making empathy and reflection essential to classroom engagement. One way to approach this is to ask students to write short reflections on how Dylan’s experiences of identity, grief, or belonging relate to their own experiences or observations. Possible discussion prompts include:

• What emotions did Dylan feel that you recognise?
• What new perspectives did this give you?

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Final insights from the author

By now it should be clear that Metal Fish, Falling Snow is deeply rooted in Moore’s personal experiences and identity. One aspect that students may be curious about is whether Dylan’s way of thinking and being in the world is a reflection of neurodivergence. Moore has generously shared the following insights to help those students better understand the particulars of Dylan’s character, and to illuminate a key learning from her journey:

Many of the anecdotes [in the novel] come from my own life: an abject distaste for certain metal forks and eggs running south; my self-soothing need for small, dark hiding places; a heightened sensory awareness; and even the somewhat magical elements. I have walked past houses and felt their history, received memory flashes of the people who lived there and the way they lived. This may, of course, be a vivid imagination at play, but it is an intense bodily experience that I cannot explain.

I never intentionally wrote [Dylan’s] character with a neurodiverse lens. I felt her very deeply, though, and it was two years after writing the book that I received an ADHD diagnosis. Only three months ago, I received an Autism diagnosis. I now tell students that I found a crucial part of myself through the process of writing Dylan. That you can write your way into identity, as well as from identity. The literature on neurodiversity tells us that intersectionality impacts on diagnosis and acceptance. The binary is a colonial construct: you can be this or that, but not both or more. We are all multitudes, though, as Dylan’s struggles for connection attest to.

Synthesising tasks

Exploring identity and pain through symbolism

Introduce the idea that not everything in the novel is meant to be taken literally. Some moments reflect how Dylan is feeling, not necessarily what is physically happening.

As a class, read and examine the extended passage at the end of Chapter 22 (pp. 170–172). This is a deeply symbolic and emotionally intense moment in Dylan’s journey. Her decision to paint her skin white reflects the impact of growing up racially othered in a world where she feels unseen and misread. Here Moore draws on the broader context of identity and belonging in Australia, which can be especially complex for biracial individuals like Dylan and the author herself. This scene conveys Dylan’s desire to be accepted and escape the alienation she feels. At the same time, it highlights the impossibility of denying or erasing one’s identity.

Moore situates this personal crisis within a broader context of internalised racism, cultural invisibility, and the long-term psychological impact of being told (implicitly and explicitly) that you don’t belong. In this moment, Dylan is not just a character. She becomes a voice for countless young people navigating a world that sees their difference before their humanity.

This passage also contains elements of the supernatural, which may require discussion or scaffolding. Explain that Moore often blends realism with spiritual or magical imagery. This allows the reader to experience Dylan’s emotional world more vividly. The following guiding concepts may be useful:

• Magical realism = the ordinary world + small, unexplained moments of magic
• These moments are not fantasy; they are grounded in the real world but reflect emotion rather than logic
• The ‘magical’ elements often act as metaphors for big concepts like grief, identity, or transformation

Jigsaw discussion questions

Print the following discussion questions on separate A3 sheets and place them around the classroom:

Have students form small groups and assign each group to a different station. Give them the following instructions:

1. Read the assigned question, discuss it as a group, and annotate the sheet with your ideas, textual evidence, or sketches.
2. When your teacher gives the signal, rotate to the next station, adding your own thoughts or building on the previous group’s work.
3. Once you have visited every station, regroup as a class to discuss any insights, patterns, or differing interpretations.

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Close reading and creative response

Part 1: symbol analysis (group)

Break the class into small groups and assign each group one of the following symbols from the end of Chapter 22:

• The white paint
• The photo of Dylan and her mother
• Water from the tap
• The animals
• The ball of light

Each group should:

• Identify a few sentences from the passage that relate to their symbol
• Explain what the symbol represents
• Discuss how the symbol contributes to the emotional and thematic meaning of the scene
• Briefly present their findings to the class

Part 2: creative reflection (individual)

Students should respond to the following prompt:

Write a short internal monologue from Dylan’s perspective at the end of Chapter 22. Begin with the sentence:

I look at my hands and …

Explore what Dylan is feeling now that Pat has wiped the paint away. You may choose to write in poetic prose similar to Moore’s style.

These activities will deepen students’ understanding of figurative language and help them explore the intersection of personal and cultural context.

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Ways of reading the text

As a psychoanalytic text

Metal Fish, Falling Snow lends itself to rich analysis through a psychoanalytic lens, particularly in relation to Dylan’s inner world. The novel explores how trauma and grief shape Dylan’s thoughts, behaviours, and perceptions of reality. Fragmented memories and unconscious desires emerge through the novel’s non-linear structure and through Dylan’s emotionally unreliable narration, offering insight into the workings of the subconscious mind.

This reading also invites discussion of Dylan’s biracial identity as a site of internal psychological conflict, shaped by both lived experience and inherited trauma. Moore’s blending of realism with spiritual and surreal imagery reflects how the unconscious mind attempts to make sense of pain and loss.

If you haven’t already done so, you might like to watch Moore’s appearance on the ABC program Just Between Us, or review earlier learnings from the Initial Response section (under Introductory Activities > Context). This clip provides autobiographical context about Moore’s lived experiences and struggles with her own identity, offering insight into the psychological underpinnings of Dylan’s character.

You can also share interviews in which Moore discusses her authorial intentions and thoughts about grief, memory, and identity. These can illuminate the psychological dimensions of the narrative. The following links may help you get started:

• Books+Publishing – Making connections: Cath Moore on ‘Metal Fish, Falling Snow’
• The Booktopian – A letter from Cath Moore to readers of Metal Fish, Falling Snow
• SBS Voices – Finding my voice: I no longer ‘other’ myself in my writing

Additional interviews and pieces written by Moore herself can be found under More Resources > News and Online Publications.

As a class, consider:

• How does Dylan’s grief manifest psychologically, affecting her perception of reality and memory? Provide specific examples.
• What evidence is there of repressed thoughts or unconscious desires in Dylan’s actions, dreams, or inner monologues?
• How does Dylan’s struggle with her biracial identity reflect internal psychological conflict? What do her actions (e.g. her attempt to ‘scrape the brown off’ with scouring pads, p. 14) reveal about her subconscious desires or self-perception?
• Analyse the symbolism of objects or recurring motifs (e.g. the metal fish, the wolf) as expressions of Dylan’s subconscious mind. What do these symbols reveal about her emotional state?
• In what ways does the novel’s magical realism serve as a coping mechanism or a means for Dylan to process trauma and loss?
• How does Dylan’s emotional unreliability as a narrator provide insight into her psychological state, rather than simply being a flaw in her storytelling? What does this unreliability reveal about her inner world?
• Discuss how the novel explores the impact of past trauma on Dylan’s present relationships and her ability to form attachments.

Students could choose one or two of these questions and present their thinking in one of the following formats:

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Comparison with other texts

Metal Fish, Falling Snow can be meaningfully compared with texts that explore similar themes, as well as those that employ magic realism or poetic, introspective narration. These comparisons can help students think critically about how authors use structure, voice, and symbolism to engage with complex emotional and social issues.

Texts with similar themes or approaches

* Reading Australia title

For genre and stylistic comparisons:

• Consider The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho or A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, which use symbolic or supernatural elements to explore internal conflict.
• Examine how Metal Fish, Falling Snow shares lyrical qualities with verse novels like The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo or One by Sarah Crossan.

Other Australian texts that may offer fruitful comparisons include:

• The Year the Maps Changed* by Danielle Binks (blended family, grief, coming of age)
• The Hate Race* by Maxine Beneba Clarke (Afro-Caribbean author, belonging, racism)
• Dragon Skin* by Karen Foxlee (outback setting, magical realism, grief)
• The Dead I Know* by Scot Gardner (grief, memory, trauma)

* Reading Australia title

Students could complete a number of activities to compare Metal Fish, Falling Snow with other texts, such as:

• Text-to-text comparative essays on belonging, grief, or another theme
• Media comparison between the novel and a film or television show, focusing on the portrayal of identity and personal transformation
• Creative responses in another mode (e.g. reimagining a scene from the novel as a short film, podcast, or graphic story)

Kindred by Kirli Saunders

Have students compare Metal Fish, Falling Snow with Kindred, the debut poetry collection by Gunai writer and artist Kirli Saunders. The comparison should focus on voice, structure, and theme. Discuss:

• How do the two texts use poetic or lyrical language to express emotion?
• What similarities or differences are there in the way each narrator explores identity and belonging?
• How does form (prose vs verse) affect the way ideas are communicated?

These prompts will encourage close reading and cross-textual analysis. Students could present their thinking in a comparative essay or creative response.

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Evaluation of the text

Metal Fish, Falling Snow makes a significant contribution to contemporary Australian literature, giving voice to experiences that have often been marginalised or underrepresented. With a young biracial protagonist navigating loss and cultural disconnection, the novel challenges dominant narratives of what it means to belong to a family, and to Australia more broadly. Dylan’s story reflects a complex vision of identity – one that has been shaped by loss and exclusion, but also love and resilience.

Moore’s poetic prose and use of symbolism make the novel stand out as an example of emotionally rich and stylistically inventive writing. It holds value not only as a coming-of-age story but as a text that encourages empathy, critical thinking, and reflection on personal and cultural identity in the Australian context.

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Representations of Australian culture

Reflective response: what makes a text ‘Australian’?

Ask students to write a short reflection or journal entry in response to the question:

In what ways is Metal Fish, Falling Snow a uniquely Australian story? In what ways is it a universal one?

Students should support their views with reference to setting, character, voice, and themes like race, grief, or belonging.

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Text review task

Have students write a short critical review of the novel (300–500 words), evaluating it as:

• A coming-of-age story
• A representation of Australian culture
• A contribution to contemporary literature

Encourage them to include quotes and discuss language, characterisation, and overall relevance.

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Debate or discussion

Divide the class into small groups to prepare arguments for or against the statement:

Metal Fish, Falling Snow challenges traditional ideas of what it means to be Australian.

This activity supports speaking and listening skills while deepening students’ understanding of representation and cultural identity.

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Identifying and justifying language/stylistic techniques for specific narrative or dramatic purposes

Moore’s distinctive voice in Metal Fish, Falling Snow is shaped by a mix of poetic language, fragmented thought patterns, and grounded colloquial dialogue. These stylistic techniques (explored below) reveal key aspects of character, emotion, and narrative tension.

Sensory imagery

‘A plague of cicadas was trapped in my head, a pounding drone.’ (p. 35)

This powerful auditory image reflects Dylan’s emotional overwhelm and sensory sensitivity. The ‘pounding drone’ from the metaphorical ‘plague’ captures her mental state in this moment of distress. Moore frequently uses intense sensory language to show how Dylan processes trauma: not through logic, but through bodily senses.

Fragmented syntax

Moore often uses fragments and repetition to convey Dylan’s obsessive thoughts and heightened awareness, as on p. 162, when she notes the times that William checks on her throughout the night. Her declaration of ‘no way, no how, no where’ conveys determination but also agitation – a rhythmic, almost breathless defiance. Paired with hyper-specific time references, these fragments show how grief disrupts Dylan’s sense of time, routine, and inner stillness.

Slang and colloquial language (Pat)

Pat’s language is blunt, idiomatic, and emotionally restrained. His use of Australian slang, like ‘piss-farting around’ (p. 120), shows his frustration but also his discomfort with expressing emotion directly. Moore contrasts Pat’s speech with Dylan’s lyrical narration to explore generational differences, masculinity, and emotional communication. Pat’s voice grounds the novel in a distinct cultural setting while also illustrating how language can shield vulnerability.

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Rich assessment task

Analytical essay on identity and belonging

Students will compose an analytical essay in response to the following prompt:

‘I see that Mum was right. My skin brings together different people and places.’ (p. 249)

How does Metal Fish, Falling Snow explore the complexities of identity and belonging through Dylan’s journey?

This prompt:

• Encourages students to reflect on Dylan’s personal development, from denial to self-acceptance
• Directs them to analyse authorial choices (voice, structure, symbolism)
• Anchors them in the novel’s final message: that identity can be a source of connection, not just conflict

Outcomes assessed

• Interprets and analyses how authors use language and stylistic choices to construct meaning
• Develops a coherent, text-based response using evidence
• Understands cultural and contextual influences on literature

Success criteria

• Clear contention responding to the essay question
• Discussion of relevant themes (e.g. identity, belonging, grief)
• Analysis of authorial techniques (e.g. sensory imagery, symbolism, narration)
• Well-integrated textual evidence with accurate references
• Structured response with logical paragraphs

Extension options

• Write a feature article exploring how contemporary texts represent themes of identity and belonging. Students should include examples from Metal Fish, Falling Snow and at least one other text of their choosing to support their discussion.
• Present the analytical essay as a multimodal response (e.g. audio essay, visual presentation with quote analysis).

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Synthesise core ideas

By the end of Metal Fish, Falling Snow, Dylan no longer views her identity as something broken or burdensome but as something real, whole, and shared. Her declaration that she is ‘a full half-black now’ (p. 247) is both playful and profound, signalling acceptance of her biracial identity and the emotional journey she has undergone. When she started she felt ‘weighed down’ by her ‘blackness’ (p. 12), expressing deep internalised conflict and shame. By the end, however, her tone shifts; she sees her identity not as something to erase or hide, but as something to live in, to use for connection and care.

Dylan’s wish to stay with William and Joni – and to help soothe future pain – reflects a growing sense of purpose and place. Moore suggests that identity is not a fixed state but a living, relational journey. Dylan’s voice blends humour, healing, and tenderness as she begins to see her blackness not as a source of isolation, but as a way of connecting with and holding up the people around her. Her journey reflects a deeper truth: that belonging is built through love, acceptance, and memories shared or created anew.

Invite students to reflect on how their early impressions of Dylan changed over time. Did they initially view her as unreliable, angry, or isolated? If so, what scenes shifted that perspective? Students should consider how grief, memory, and experiences of racism all contribute to Dylan’s worldview, and how Moore gradually allows the reader access to her deeper truth.

Discuss:

• What makes Dylan’s story ‘Australian’?
• Could her story be understood in a different cultural context? Why or why not?
• How does Moore challenge simplistic notions of race, home, or normality?

Reading and growing with Dylan

At this point, students can reflect on how studying Metal Fish, Falling Snow has shaped their thinking about identity, race, grief, or growing up. This is a story about transformation – not just for Dylan, but also potentially for the reader.

Ask students to reflect on the following prompts:

• In some ways, we grow up alongside Dylan – not by living her story, but by listening closely to it.
• Reflect on your own experience of reading the novel. What have you come to understand more deeply about identity, family, race, grief, or yourself?
• Have any moments in the novel shifted your thinking or challenged your assumptions? If so, which ones, and why?
• What might you take from Dylan’s story, even after this unit ends?

You might like to provide some sentence starters to help get students started:

• When I first started the novel, I thought … Now I realise that …
• A moment that really changed how I saw Dylan was …
• This story helped me understand that identity can be …
• I didn’t expect to relate to Dylan, but …
• One idea from this novel that will stay with me is …

Students can complete their reflection in the form of:

• A quick write in a notebook
• A class Padlet
• A voice memo
• A group discussion or yarning circle
• A visual response
• A letter to Dylan (an optional creative twist)

Action-oriented extension: changing the narrative

Moore has stated that she wrote Metal Fish, Falling Snow to reflect stories and voices that are often missing in Australian classrooms. Ask students:

• How inclusive is your current school reading list?
• Whose stories are told, and whose are left out?

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Rich assessment task

Creative transformation and reflective commentary

Drawing inspiration from Metal Fish, Falling Snow, students will create a personal text that explores their own layered identity using sensory language, metaphor, and/or symbolism. Like Dylan, students may wish to explore how place, family, culture, or memory shape who they are.

Students will:

1. Write a creative text (e.g. short prose piece, personal narrative, poetic monologue) beginning with or inspired by the line: ‘Like Dylan, I am made of …’
2. Include at least two of the following:
   1. A recurring symbol or motif (e.g. an object, animal, or image)
   2. Sensory imagery (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
   3. Fragmented or poetic syntax to reflect internal states
   4. A moment of emotional shift or realisation
3. Accompany their piece with a reflective commentary (300–400 words) that:
   1. Explains their authorial choices (e.g. symbolism, structure, voice, language)
   2. Links their piece to themes or techniques from Metal Fish, Falling Snow
   3. Reflects on how they represent their own complex identity

Students should be encouraged to:

• Experiment with voice, structure, and language techniques
• Reflect on their own identity through a creative lens
• Analyse and apply literary techniques used by Moore
• Demonstrate insight into the text’s core themes (e.g. identity, grief, transformation)

Optional extension/adaptation

Students may adapt their piece into a spoken word performance or digital visual poem.

For EAL or emerging writers, provide sentence stems or a scaffolded structure (e.g. paragraph models or metaphor brainstorms).

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