The Color of Magic Exploration

In a way, fantasy stories are all about exploration. And in The Color of Magic, we explore the Discworld with tourists Twoflower and Rincewind as though we were tourists of this magical misfit of a world ourselves. We sample the streets and narrow alleys of Ankh-Morpork, visit the impossibly designed Temple of Bel-Shamharoth, and even stare over the edge of the Discworld to witness the beauty of the Rimbow. It's way better than that family vacation to Ilha de Queimada Grande, Brazil—and since we're just reading along, way less dangerous, too.

Questions About Exploration

1. How do Rincewind and Twoflower's views of exploration differ and why?
2. What are the positive aspects of exploration in the novel? Are there any negative ones, too? What do these suggest to you about this theme?
3. Why do you suppose the novel starts its exploration at Ankh-Morpork before moving farther into Discworld?
4. How does the novel's ending relate to the theme of exploration?

Chew on This

The Color of Magic uses the theme of exploration to setup a broad view of the Discworld, while later novels explore specific locations in greater detail, so that exploration remains a theme throughout the series.

Making Twoflower a tourist and avid reader suggests a connection between the reader's role and Twoflower's in the novel.