Discussion Questions

The Alchemist - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

 1. Santiago became a shepherd rather than a spriest as his parents had hoped. Why is this so significant to the story? What advantage does being a shepherd offer him? 

 2. Before his journey begins, Santiago asks a gypsy woman to interpret his dream about finding treasure in the Egyptian pyramids. She requests for one tenth of the treasure in return for the favor. When Santiago asks an old man to show his the way to the treasure, the man asks for one tenth of his flock as payment. Although both interactions represent the fact that one must pay a price to follow one's dreams, only one of these payments will yield the desired result. Which one? Why? Which payment is a representation of false hops? How can you tell? 

 3. When we are children, "everything is clear and everything is possible" says King Mechizedek, but he cautions that as we age some mysterious force convinces dreamers to abandon their dreams. What do you think of this statement? What are the mysterious forces that cause people to abandon their dreams? 

 4. The Alchemist talks about a "universal language;" the language of the world. What is this language? How is it different from spoken language? Why would people's "fascination with pictures and words" cause people to forget the universal language? What are the consequences of forgetting it? 

 5. Santiago is repeatedly encouraged to read signs and omens/ What do signs and omens have to do with his quest? How are they related to the "universal language?" What kinds of signs and omens have you experienced in your life? 

 6. What is a "Personal Legend?" How does one find their own Personal Legend? What is your own Personal Legend? 

 7. At one point the alchemist reveals to Santiago the secret of turning metal into gold. Why did he share the secret? How does it relate to finding a Personal Legend? 

 8. Are you surprised at where Santiago's treasure was hidden? Why is it significance that his treasure lies buried in the exact place where his journey began? 

 9. What aspects of the story are the most relevant to you? Has reading this novel changes the way you see your own life? How? 

 10. Many spiritual quests involve a journey into the desert. Why do you think that is? In what ways is the desert a perfect setting for a spiritual journey? How did the desert help Santiago on his journey?

 11. Discuss the significance of the novels' ending. What does the tree, beneath whose roots the treasure is burred, represent? Why did Santiago have to travel so far when the treasure was at home the whole time?

These questions were found at Bethel

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time  Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1.      On pages 45-48, Christopher describes his “Behavioral Problems” and the effect they had on his parents and their marriage. What is the effect of the dispassionate style in which he relates this information?

2.      Given Christopher’s aversion to being touched, can he experience his parents’ love for him, or can he only understand it as a fact, because they tell him they love him? Is there any evidence in the novel that he experiences a sense of attachment to other people?

3.      One of the unusual aspects of the novel is its inclusion of many maps and diagrams. How effective are these in helping the reader see the world through Christopher’s eyes?

4.      What challenges does The Curious Incident present to the ways we usually think and talk about characters in novels? How does it force us to reexamine our normal ideas about love and desire, which are often the driving forces in fiction? Since Mark Haddon has chosen to make us see the world through Christopher’s eyes, what does he help us discover about ourselves?

5.      Christopher likes the idea of a world with no people in it (p. 2); he contemplates the end of the world when the universe collapses [pp. 10-11]; he dreams of being an astronaut, alone in space [pp. 50-51], and that a virus has carried off everyone and the only people left are “special people like me” [pp. 198-200]. What do these passages say about his relationship to other human beings? What is striking about the way he describes these scenarios?

6.      On pages 67-69, Christopher goes into the garden and contemplates the importance of description in the book he is writing. His teacher Siobhan told him “the idea of a book was to describe things using words so that people could read them and make a picture in their own head” [p. 67]. What is the effect of reading Christopher’s extended description, which begins, “I decided to do a description of the garden” and ends “Then I went inside and fed Toby”? How does this passage relate to a quote Christopher likes from The Hound of the Baskervilles: “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by chance ever observes” [p. 73]?

7.      Christopher’s conversations with Siobhan, his teacher at school, are possibly his most meaningful communications with another person. What are these conversations like, and how do they compare with his conversations with his father and his mother?

8.      Christopher’s parents, with their affairs, their arguments, and their passionate rages, are clearly in the grip of emotions they themselves can’t fully understand or control. How, in juxtaposition to Christopher’s incomprehension of the passions that drive other people, is his family situation particularly ironic?

9.      How much empathy does the reader come to feel for Christopher? How much understanding does he have of his own emotions? What is the effect, for instance, of the scenes in which Christopher’s mother doesn’t act to make sure he can take his A-levels? Do these scenes show how little his mother understands Christopher’s deepest needs?

10.   Christopher’s journey to London underscores the difficulties he has being on his own, and the real disadvantages of his condition in terms of being in the world. What is most frightening, disturbing, or moving about this extended section of the novel [pp. 169-98]? 

These questions were found at Kalamazoo Public Library

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American Gods Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. American Gods contains both the magical and the mundane, a fantastic world of divine beings and bizarre happenings and a world of prisons, rundown roadside attractions, and quaint small towns. How is Gaiman able to bring these worlds together in the novel? How does he manage to make their coexistence believable?

2. What is the cultural significance of the war between the gods of old and the “new gods of credit card and freeway, of Internet and telephone, of radio and hospital and television, gods of plastic and of beeper and of neon”? In what ways have Americans transferred their devotion from spiritual to material and technological gods? What are the consequences of such a shift?

3. Gaiman, who now lives in the U.S., is originally from England. How might his perspective as a relative outsider affect his view of America? In what ways can American Gods be read as a satire or critique of American life? 

4. What makes Shadow such a compelling protagonist? What are his most appealing qualities? At what crucial points in the novel does he demonstrate courage, compassion, intelligence, a willingness to sacrifice himself? What does his relationship with Laura reveal about him? What is the significance of his obsession with coin tricks?

5. What role do dreams play in American Gods? What are some of Shadow’s more vivid and unusual dreams? Why does the Buffalo Man tell him in a dream to “believe everything”?

6. The narrator, discussing how we relate to the suffering of others, writes that “Fiction allows us to slide into these other heads, these other places, and look out thorough other eyes. And then in the tale we stop before we die, or we die vicariously and unharmed, and in the world beyond the tale we turn the page and close the book, and we resume our lives.” What does American Gods reveal by letting readers see through the eyes of a collection of down-at-heel and nearly forgotten divinities? What vicarious deaths does it allow us to experience? 

7. After shortchanging a waitress, Wednesday tells Shadow that the American people “don’t sacrifice rams or bulls to me. They don’t send me the souls of killers and slaves, gallows-hung and raven-picked. They made me. They forgot me. Now I take a little back from them. Isn’t that fair?” What are the implications of a god like Odin becoming, essentially, a con-man? What is the biggest con he tries to pull off in the novel? 

8. What do the old gods need to stay alive and vital? What means do they use to get what they need? What is Gaiman suggesting about the nature of divinity, sacrifice, and devotion?

9. Late in the novel, the narrator says that “Religions are, by definition, metaphors…. Religions are places to stand and look and act, vantage points from which to view the world.” Would you agree with this assertion? What are the gods in American Gods metaphors for? What is the difference between a world view based on worship, sacrifice, and belief in the divine and a world view based on the accumulation of material wealth and comfort?

10. Who are some of the more colorful and vividly drawn secondary characters—human and divine—in the novel? What do they add to the overall impression of the book? How do they affect Shadow?

11. What does the novel imply about the reality of life in small-town America? What darker truth lies behind the pleasant idyll of Lakewood, Wisconsin?

12. At the end of the novel, Shadow thinks to himself: “People believe…. People populate the darkness; with ghosts, with gods, with electrons, with tales. People imagine and people believe: and it is that belief, that rock-solid belief, that makes things happen.” Would you agree that what people believe in are largely projections of their own needs and desires? In what ways does the novel itself confirm or refute this idea?

These questions were found at Neil Gaiman's website

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Go Set a Watchman  Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1.     Is Atticus really a racist?

2.     Discuss the similarities in the way young Scout reacts when she thinks she is pregnant and the way she reacts when she sees Atticus at the Citizen’s Council meeting.  Are there other instances in the book when she has the same “knee-jerk” type reaction? Have you experienced any similar reactions in your own life?

3.     Atticus calls Jean Louise a bigot. Do you agree or disagree? Can the bigot case be made for Aunt Alexandria, Henry or Atticus?

4.     Chapter 17 is tough. At any point in this chapter do you think Atticus is playing devil’s advocate with Jean Louise and instructing her?

5.     Scout rails against the supreme court for Brown vs. Wade and states’ rights. When Jean Louise says they threw the cart before the horse in Chapter 17, what does she mean? Can states be trusted to do the right thing for its citizens? When should the Supreme Court come in and overrule states’ rights?  

6.     Jean Louise seems like a girl before her time. She is a feminist and progressive. Talk about scenes in the book where she lets these traits shine.

7.     Go to page 237. There is a scene where Jean Louise pauses on the sidewalk at the exact spot where Jem died. Atticus tells Jean Louise that it’s “about time she got over that.” Jean Louise replies “I don’t want to discuss it. I want to move somewhere else.” Then Atticus says “Let’s go in the office then.” Was there a typo with the word discuss? Or is Lee showing her wit?

8.     Discuss the character of Uncle Jack and the significant role he plays in Jean Louise’s life.

9.     Discuss the significance of the title.

10.  If you have never read To Kill a Mockingbird, do you think you will now? If you have read To Kill a Mockingbird, how do you think Go Set a Watchman compliments the novel?

These questions were found at Angled Perspective

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Stardust  Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. Why do you think the book is called Stardust?

2. How does the bouncing around between different characters' perspectives influence your experience of the plot taking shape?

3. What are the ways in which Gaiman explores desire in Stardust? Is it usually a good thing, a bad thing, or a complicated thing?

4. If you could set a montage of Tristran's travels through Faerie to music, which songs would you pick and why?

5. Which themes from fairytales does Gaiman use in Stardust? Which ones does he plop in straightforwardly and which ones does he twist?

6. Would Stardust pass the Bechdel Test? Why or why not?

7. What are some similarities between Tristran and his father, Dunstan? How about differences?

8. The Lilim are obviously based on images of witches from folklore and fantasy. What does Gaiman change in his depiction of them?

9. Why do you think we rarely see things from Yvaine/the star's perspective?

10. Based on the bitter competition between the lords of Stormhold for the throne, what kind of a place do you imagine Stormhold to be?

These questions were found at Shmoop

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Catch Me if You Can Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1.     Do you believe everything in the book or do you think he embellished his stories?

2.     At what point in the story would you have given up on such an insane crusade?

3.     When Frank Abagnale took the psychology test, his results showed he had a low propensity of becoming a criminal. Why do you think that is?

4.     When Frank Abagnale goes to visit his grandmother and other relatives, his mother creates a story for him to tell his relatives about his reason for visiting. Why do you think his mother helped him rather than beg him to turn himself into the authorities?  

5.     There is a vast difference between prisons in France and prisons in Sweden. Which prison system do you agree with and why?

6.     How do you feel about Frank Abagnale going back on the Swedish judge’s kindness?

7.     Many of the women decided to report Frank Abagnale, why did the last woman in Georgia decide to help him rather than report him?

8.     What do you think spurred Frank Abagnale’s criminal activities?

9.     Compared to the movie, which one do you prefer?

10.  What do you think of the book’s ending? 

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Fahrenheit 451 Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. Why would society make "being a pedestrian" a crime? (Clarisse tells Montag that her uncle was once arrested for this.)

2. One suicide and one near-suicide occur in this book. One woman, who shuns books but loves TV and driving fast in her car, sedates herself,; "We get these cases nine or ten a night," says the medical technician. Another woman, who cherishes her books, sets herself on fire with them; "These fanatics always try suicide," says the fire captain. Why would two people who seem to be so different from each other try to take their own lives? Why does suicide happen so frequently in Montag's society?"

3. Captain Beatty quotes history, scripture, poetry, philosophy. He is obviously a well-read man. Why hasn't he been punished? And why does he view the books he's read with such contempt?

4. Beatty tells Montag that firemen are "custodians of peace of mind" and that they stand against "those who want to make everyone unhappy with conflicting theory and thought." How well are the firemen accomplishing these objectives? Are conflicting ideas the only source of unhappiness in their society? What other sources might there be? Can conflicting ideas exist even without books that have been destroyed and outlawed?

5. Why do you think the firemen's rulebook credited Benjamin Franklin—writer, publisher, political leader, inventor, ambassador—as being the first fireman?

6. Montag turns to books to rescue him; instead they help demolish his life- -he loses his wife, job and home; he kills a man and is forced to be a nomad. Does he gain any benefits from books? If so, what are they?

7. Do you believe, as Montag did, that Beatty wanted to die? If so, why do you think so?

8. Since the government is so opposed to readers, thinkers, walkers, and slow drivers, why does it allow the procession of men along the railroad tracks to exist?

9. Granger, spokesperson for the group on the railroad tracks, tells Montag, "Right now we have a horrible job; we're waiting for the war to begin and, as quickly, end...When the war's over, perhaps we can be of some use in the world." Based on what you've read of the world these men live in, do you believe that the books they carry inside themselves will make a difference? Might this difference be positive or negative?

10. Would you recommend this book?

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The Princess Bride - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. Throughout the novel Goldman sustains two narratives: the tale of The Princess Bride and the story of his own involvement with it. How do Goldman’s comments about Morgenstern affect your reading of his novel?

2. Goldman wrote the screenplay for the film version of The Princess Bride. There are many differences between the two. Identify as many as you can. Why do you think Goldman made these changes? With which of his choices do you agree? Disagree?

3. Does Goldman present himself as a sympathetic character? Think about how he describes his relationships with his wife, son, and father. How do these relationships illustrate the fictional Goldman's virtues and faults? And do you think Goldman is portraying his actual wife, son, and father, or are they also fictionalized characters?

4. When we first meet Inigo and Fezzik, they are working with Vizzini to kidnap Buttercup. Later, they become allies of Westley in his efforts to rescue her. What causes Inigo and Fezzik to change . . . or do they really change at all over the course of the novel?

5. Is Goldman's portrayal of Buttercup misogynistic? Is there a pattern in the way that women are portrayed in The Princess Bride, 

6. Is Goldman's portrayal of Buttercup misogynistic? Is there a pattern in the way that women are portrayed in The Princess Bride, 

7. In another parenthetical aside from Goldman, he quotes the mother of one of his childhood friends, Edith Neisser, the author of "terrific books on how we screw up our children," as telling him: "Life isn't fair, Bill. We tell our children that it is, but it's a terrible thing to do. It's not only a lie, it's a cruel lie. Life is not fair, and it never has been, and it's never going to be." Do these words sum up the theme of the novel? Why or why not?

8. Is Goldman laughing with his readers . . . or laughing at them?

These questions were found at Reading Group Guides

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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. How much of what Thompson described do you think happen?

2. Do you think the lawyer was real?

3. Have you seen the movie? How does it compare?

4. Would you recommend this to any friends? Why or why not?

5 What do you think this books says about early 1970s American Culture?

6. This is probably Hunter S. Thompson’s most popular book, but not his best (according to fans). Have you read other books of his? What do you think?

These questions were found at The WheelHouse

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Of Mice and Men - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. From the beginning of the book to the end, what emotions did you experience?

2. Were there any characters you sympathized with? Were there characters that you didn’t sympathize with?

3. Why did George keep Lennie with him?

4. What do you think about the dream George told Lennie? Is there a reason why the dream was repeated multiple times?

5. Why do you think George stole Carlson’s gun? Do you think Lennie’s death was planned?

6. What was your reaction to the end of the story? Was it what you expected?

7. At the very end of the book Slim says to George, “A guy got to sometimes.” What do you think Slim meant?

8. Would you recommend this book to anyone?

9. Many schools in the U.S. have banned or challenged this book. Do you agree it should be banned, why? Do you disagree; if so, what age/grade do you think is appropriate for this book?

10. Have you read anything else written by Steinbeck? How are his works similar or how different from one another?

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I Hunt Killers - Discussion Questions


Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. Is Jasper a sociopath like his father? Why or why not?

2. Why does Jazz have to keep repeating “People are real. People Matter”? Do you think it helps or harms?

3. Why do you think Howie has remained Jasper’s friend for so long?

4. Jasper keeps up pictures of all the people his father killed by his bed. Is this healthy? Creepy? What about adding his mom to the list?

5. What is the difference between manipulating people and influencing them?

6. Why does Jazz have “Remember Bobby Joe Long” running across his computer? (Remember, Bobby Joe Long was a serial killer who let someone go, even though Bobby Joe knew it would lead to his arrest.)

7. Why does Jazz need to know all about serial killers? Does it help or harm?

8. Why do you think G. William initially didn’t want to believe the murders were being committed by a serial killer?

9. What do you think was the Impressionist’s motive? Did you figure out who the Impressionist was before it was revealed?

10. What is the symbolism behind the high school play being “The Crucible”? What about that fact that Jazz’s part was Reverend Hale?

These questions were found at Mentor Public Library

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SEAL Team Six - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. Do you think Wasdin could have been successful as a SEAL if he didn’t have the upbringing that he had?

2. At what point during BUDS training would you quit?

3. What do you think was the most difficult mission Wasdin went on? And why?

4. Do you agree with the methodology of the BUDS training?

5. How did Wasdin and his men’s fighting police officers, the hillbillies, and others impact your opinion of him?

6. Is it fair to have the lifestyle Wasdin did and to have a family at the same time?

7. Wasdin and his men get away with a lot of things and are never punished for them. Should they have been punished for their crimes, why or why not?

8. What do you feel was the tone of the book? Are there any certain parts in the book that exemplify the tone?

9. Who do you feel Wasdin wrote the book for, what audience? Of if no audience, did he write it for himself?

10. Wasdin has written several other books: I Am a SEAL Team Six Warrior, SEAL Team Six Outcasts, The Last Rescue, and Easy Day for the Dead. Would you read his other books after having read this one? 

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Yes Please - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. What was your overall impression of Yes Please?

2. After reading this book, does it make you want to watch any of the shows Poehler mentioned – Asssscats!, Upright Citizens Brigade, Parks and Recreation?

3. Does this book make Amy Poehler seem more human/relatable?

4. Did Poehler’s comments about writing a book being difficult, not wanting to, etc. impact your reading experience in any way?

5.  How do you feel about the section where Poehler talks about stay-at-home moms and working moms? Or other controversial sections, such as her openness about drugs and sex.

6. Did the organization of the book appeal to you, why or why not?

7. What are your thoughts on Poehler’s “yes please” philosophy on life?

8. What moment(s) in the book made you laugh the hardest?

9.  Have you read any other comedians autobiographies? How do they compare to Poehler’s?

10. What did you takeaway anything from the book?

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The Lemon Tree - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

The book opens with the journey of Bashir and his cousins on a bus to their childhood homes in al-Ramla. How would you have felt if you were Bashir, approaching the old home, and pressing the bell?

The Arab-Israeli war of 1948 is known as the “War of Independence” to Israelis, and the “Nakba,” or “Catastrophe,” to Palestinians. Taking the point of view of Bashir, tell the group how you experienced the first several months of 1948. Now, do the same with Yitzhaki.

Why was the U.N. Resolution that promised the “right of return” such a singular focus for Palestinians? If it were you who had been displaced, would you also demand to return home, or would you, at some point, decide it would be easier to live in peace, if also in exile?

Dalia is described as carrying “an extraordinary legacy” with her to Israel in 1948. What was that legacy?

How much of a role do you think the Holocaust, and reaction to it through the crafting of a Sabra identity, played in the formation of Israel ’s national psyche? Consider why Dalia describes herself as growing up in the shadow of the Holocaust even though her family escaped. At the same time, consider that Dalia grew up among a new community of Jews who were trying to re-form their identity.

The emerging trust between Dalia and Bashir was shattered in February, 1969, when a bomb exploded in a Jerusalem supermarket, killing three people. Describe Dalia’s state of mind during this time. 

After Dalia’s parents died and Bashir is released from prison, why did Dalia get in touch with Bashir?

At their meeting in the home of a Christian minister in Ramallah, Dalia offered to share the home in Ramla. What is the meaning of this gesture and the meaning of the agreement Dalia and Bashir forged that day?

In 1988, near the beginning of the intifada, Bashir was deported to Lebanon . On the eve of his deportation, Dalia wrote an open letter to Bashir that was published in the Jerusalem Post. Weeks later, Bashir replied. What is your reaction to both letters?

Bashir and Dalia finally meet again, in the midst of rising violence and political tensions, in Ramallah in 2004. They find that their political differences are as great as ever, but that their personal relations are as warm as ever. How does one explain that?

Near the end of the book, on page 262, Dalia says, “Our enemy is the only partner we have.” What does she mean by that?

- These questions were found at Hannibal Library

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The Martian - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. On a Reddit AMA (ask me anything), Andy Weir admitted that the force of the wind in the beginning of the book was a deliberate inaccuracy, he wanted nature to be responsible to create the man-vs-nature theme. Could Weir have used a different plot line to have Watney alone on Mars (man-vs-man, man-vs-self, man-vs-soceity, or man-vs-nature)? Did the inaccuracy impact your view of the book? 

2. Andy Weir’s original plan for the book was to be all Watney log entries. Do you think his decision to incorporate what was happening back on Earth was a good move? Or would you have rather had only Watney’s log entries to read for the story?

3. The decision to leave Watney on Mars was not an easy one. Did you agree with the crew leaving him or could they have saved him?

4. How believable do you find the events detailed in The Martian? Do you think this could happen in real life? 

5. If you were in Watney's shoes, at what point would you have given up and just killed yourself? Or would you have persevered? 

6. The rescue mission was successful, but if you had to make the decision not knowing what would happen, should the US have tried to rescue him? 

7. Do you think it was a good decision to not tell Mark's crew about what happened for so long, should they have told them at all? 

8. As a book club we have read many sci-fi books. Is The Martian different from the other sci-fi books, if so how? 

9. This book is very scientific and seems more geared for those who find joy in science related topics. For those not scientific minded, did you enjoy this book? Why or why not? For those who are scientific minded, how did the science material impact your reading and enjoyment of the book?

10. After reading The Martian, would you read Andy Weir’s next book Zhek? Why or why not?

11. Watney had very few items to keep him entertained on Mars when he wasn't Macgyver-ing things to keep him alive. If you are packing a backpack full of items to keep you sane during an emergency stranded-on-Mars scenario, what's in the bag?

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This is Where I Leave You - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. Is the Foxman family really in mourning? How can you tell? As an atheist, why does Mort request that his family sit shiva after his death?

2. What's wrong with these people! Whom do you finger as the most dysfunctional family member, including spouses? Which character do you find...funniest...most despicable...most sympathetic? Be honest, now: any of them you identify with?

3. What has caused the tension between Judd and his brother Paul? What are some of the other family secrets and entanglements?

4. Clearly, Judd is an adult, yet this book can also be seen as a delayed coming-of-age story. What does Judd learn in the end about himself and his role in helping to create the world in which he finds himself?

5. How 'bout that rabbi? Is the Foxman's assessment of him fair?

6. What do the Foxman offspring come to understand about their parents by the book's finale?

7. How does Judd respond to becoming a father, and how does he connect his role as soon-to-be parent with the loss of his own father? In what way does parenthood take on meaning for him?

8. What is the significance of the book's title?

- These questions were found at Litlovers.com

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Divergent - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. When Roth began writing Divergent, she originally wrote it from the perspective of Tobias (Four). How would the story be different if Roth decided to keep Tobias as the narrator and not Beatrice (Tris)? Do you think Divergent would be as appealing if Tobias was the main protagonist?

2. Speaking of Tobias and Tris, what did you think of their relationship? Why do you think Four was drawn to Tris?

3. Why and how were the factions created?

4. Not all the Dauntless initiates can be a member. Do you think Dauntless is the only faction that contributes to the factionless population? How did you feel about the factionless and that it exists?

5. Tobias has each of the five factions tattooed on his back (p. 405). He says he wants to be all of the different virtues each faction stands for. Is that realistic or possible?

6. What are your thoughts on Tris’ family? Did her family members surprise you, if so who and how?

7. Why do you think Erudite is threatened by Divergents? What is dangerous about being divergent and why do you Erudite believes they need to be taken care of?

8. What was your reaction to the end of the book? Were you content with how it ended or left wanting to know more?

9. If you had to eliminate one character who would it be and why?

10. Have you seen the movie? Which do you prefer, the movie or the book?

11. Want to know what faction you would be in take the Faction Aptitude Test . Do you agree with the test result, if not which faction would you choose at the Choosing Ceremony. 

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The Girl with a Pearl Earring - Discussion Questions

These discussion questions were found at Bestsellers.com

1. How did Chevalier bring to life 17th century Delft? What did you learn about everyday life during this time? How is it different than life now? How is it the same?

2. Describe Griet's relationship with her family. How did it change throughout the story? In what ways was she similar and different from her mother, father, and Frans?

3. Why did Griet feel so torn between her new life and old life? What did she enjoy about her new life in Vermeer's household? What did she miss about her old life?

4. Discuss Griet's relationships with different children, Maria Thins, Catharina, and Tanneke. What are the dynamics of the household?

5. Why was Griet so drawn to Vermeer?

6. Do you think Vermeer truly cared about Griet, or was he only concerned with the painting? Were his feelings toward her defined by passion, love, lust, paternal instincts, camaraderie? What about her feelings toward him?

7. Why did Griet hide her hair? Why did she feel so revealed once Vermeer saw her hair that "it no longer mattered what I did and did not do?" Why do you think she went to Pieter that night?

8. What was the significance of Griet wearing the pearl? Why did Vermeer force her to wear both earrings even though only one would appear in the painting? How was his piercing her ears symbolic?

9. Why was Catharina so upset by the painting? Do you think Vermeer betrayed his wife? Did he love her? What was the nature of their relationship?

10. Do you think Griet made the right decision in marrying Pieter the butcher? Were the other options she considered while standing in the star at the town's center feasible?

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Catch-22 - Discussion Questions

These discussion questions were found at AboutEducation

1. What is important about the title? Is there a reference in the novel that explains the title?

2. What are the conflicts in Catch-22? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) do you see in the novel?

3. Is John Yossarian consistent in his actions? Is he a fully developed characters? Why is this character often referred to as an "anti-hero"?

4. Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters persons you would want to meet?

5. What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?

6. Why is the novel so controversial? Do you think the book should be censored or banned?

7. How effective do you think the novel is/was as a statement against war? Compare this anti-war novel with other novels of its type.

8. How does sanity/insanity figure into the plot of the novel?

9. How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?

10. Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why?

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Of Mice and Men - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. From the beginning of the book to the end, what emotions did you experience?

2. Were there any characters you sympathized with? Were there characters that you didn’t sympathize with?

3. Why did George keep Lennie with him?

4. What do you think about the dream George told Lennie? Is there a reason why the dream was repeated multiple times?

5. Why do you think George stole Carlson’s gun? Do you think Lennie’s death was planned?

6. What was your reaction to the end of the story? Was it what you expected?

7. At the very end of the book Slim says to George, “A guy got to sometimes.” What do you think Slim meant?

8. Would you recommend this book to anyone?

9. Many schools in the U.S. have banned or challenged this book. Do you agree it should be banned, why? Do you disagree; if so, what age/grade do you think is appropriate for this book?

10. Have you read anything else written by Steinbeck? How are his works similar or how different from one another?

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Hyperbole and a Half - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1.       What was your favorite or most laughter inducing part in the book?

2.       What was your reaction to the not-so-funny parts in the book?

3.       Did you find the book to be completely relatable, mostly relatable, or somewhat?

4.       Allie Brosh did an AMA on reddit.com and many redditors told her that her sections on depression helped them through their own depression or through a friend’s depression. What are your thoughts on this? Would you find this helpful if you knew a friend who was depressed?

5.       For those of you have read Allie Brosh’s blog – how does the book compare to the blog? Which do you prefer? 
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Slaughterhouse-Five - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. What did you think of the layout of the novel? Was it confusing or did you like the structure? Why do you think Vonnegut structured the novel the way he did?
2. What do you think contributed to or caused Billy Pilgrim’s obsession with the Tralfamadorians? Why do you think he found solace in the Tralfamadorians and time travel?
3. What is the significance of the saying “So it goes”? Why is it important that it is said after a death?
4. Billy Pilgrim shares several of the Tralfamadorians views on life. How did those views affect Billy’s life? How did Billy contradict their views?
5. Vonnegut has two titles for this book, “Slaughterhouse-Five” or “The Children’s Crusade”. Which do you think is better suited to the story? Why do you think he choice to have an additional title?
6. Billy Pilgrim always survives in different scenarios where he shouldn’t have. Why is that?
7.   Who is Billy Pilgrim? Is he Vonnegut, someone else or a representation?
8. What do you think the war is a critique of? The war? People?
9. How do you feel about the way Vonnegut began the book and ended the book? What could have been his intention for doing it that way?
10. Have you read any of Vonnegut’s books before? How did this compare to other books of his? If you haven’t read any of Vonnegut’s books before, did this book make you want to read more Vonnegut?

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The Picture of Dorian Grey - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1. In what ways did Basil Hallward impact Dorian? In what ways did Lord Henry impact Dorian?

2. “How sad it is! I shall grow old, and horrible, and dreadful. But this picture will remain always young. It will never be older than this particular day of June…. If it were only the other way!... Yes, there is nothing in the whole world I would not give! I would give my soul for that” (p. 28)! This quote is when Dorian made the deal with the devil. Do you think Dorian believed his words would come true? What was so important about his youth that he wished to hold onto it?

3. Lord Henry contributes many aphorisms. Can any of his aphorisms be applied to us today? Do you agree or disagree with Lord Henry’s aphorisms?

4. Would you say Sibyl Vane was the first person Dorian affected negatively? After Sibyl, many others were ruined by associating with Dorian. Does his influence on others remind you of another character’s influence?

5. Why do you think it took Dorian so long to want to change and become a better person? Why did he wait till the end of the story when early on he could clearly see his sins and corruption in the painting?

6. “Sin is a thing that writes itself across a man's face. It cannot be concealed. People talk sometimes of secret vices. There are no such things. If a wretched man has a vice, it shows itself in the lines of his mouth, the droop of his eyelids, the moulding of his hands even” (p. 153-154). If sin truly showed on a person’s face do you think it would change the way people behave? Are there ways that a person’s sins does show?

7. Who is to blame for Dorian’s corruption? Is it Lord Henry’s fault? Basil’s fault? Or is Dorian himself to blame?

8.  Do you feel satisfied with the end of the story? Did it feel like Dorian redeemed himself?

9. Were you able to take away any message from the story? Did it influence you in a positive or negative way?  

10. How do you think Lord Henry will react to the news of Dorian? The townspeople? And all who avoided Dorian? 

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts. 

1. What do you think the ultimate answer is to the ultimate question?

2. Why do you think the true leaders of the universe want attention taken away from them?

3. Why do you think Zaphod stole the Heart of Gold?

4. If you were designing the Earth what thing would you change?

5. What was your reaction when you found out who was the smartest animal in the universe?

6. What did you think of the extreme personality differences each character possessed? Marvin the depressed robot. Arthur the human with the pathetic life, etc.

7. What was the funniest moment or line in the book for you?

8. Have you seen the movie, if so how does it compare to the book?

9. Did this book change your opinion about the Sci-Fi genre?

10. Would you read the sequels to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy? 

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On the Road - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts. 

1.     “[B]ecause the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing…” (p. 5-6). How does this quote capture the entirety of Sal’s experience throughout the book?

2.     What does the West mean to Sal? Why is he desirous to go to the West?

3.     What is Sal’s obsession with Dean?

4.     How does Sal’s definition of marriage and love vary from Dean’s? Are their definitions different at all?

5.     Jazz is mentioned throughout the book. Why is Sal, Dean, and others attracted to jazz? What does it have to do with the beat generation?

6.     What is the IT and TIME that Dean and Sal found? “…the point being that we know what IT is and we know TIME and we know that everything is really FINE” (p. 209).

7.     Everyone associated with Dean (except Sal) begins to abandon him. Why is everyone separating from Dean? Why is Sal not?

8.     Sal sings a song about home, and the last verse he sings, “Home I’ll never be” (p. 255). Is this true for Sal?

9.     The book is full of sex, drugs, alcohol, and other criminal activities. Because of this does Dean and Sal’s character appeal to you or repel you? What were your reactions to the different things the two did?

10. Have you read this book before, if so has your opinion changed from the first time? This book was published in 1959 and continues to be a popular read. Why do you think it is still popular? What are the appeals of the book?

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Ender's Game - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts. 

1.      What are the similarities and differences between Ender and Peter?

2.      What do you think the different scenarios in the computer simulation represented (ie: the giant, the playground with the children, the End of the World)?

3.      Why do you think they chose children to fight in the wars rather than adults? Do you believe it was fair or ethical?

4.      Why do you think there was such a stigma about the monitor that Ender had to wear in the beginning?

5.      Do you think the author’s choice of having children as his central characters took away from the book or added to it? Did it impact the way you read the book?

6.      How do you feel about the role that Peter and Valentine played in the book by leading the adults into their plan? Did you enjoy reading about their rise to power, or felt it could have been left out?

7.      What was your reaction when Ender found the area that the buggers had replicated to emulate the game (dreams) he had (p. 361)?

8.      Did you realize that Ender was actually not playing a game and was truly fighting in the war? Do you feel that it was fair or should Ender have been told? How do you think it would have changed Ender as a commander if he had known?

9.      Did you know that ender had killed Stilson (p. 38) and Bonzo (p. 250-251)? If not, what was your reaction when you found out? Did it affect your opinion of Ender in anyway?

10.   Before reading this book, did you like Science Fiction? How did it compare to other Science Fiction books you have read? If you did not like Science Fiction before reading this book, did it change your opinion of this type of genre?

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Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail  - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts. 

1.     Why do you think Cheryl Strayed chose to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)? “I’d been standing in line at an outdoor store waiting to purchase a foldable shovel when I picked up a book called The Pacific Crest Trail, Volume I: California from a  nearby shelf and read the back cover” (p. 4)

2.     In the beginning of the book when Strayed’s mother is dying, Strayed says, “I was ravenous for love” (p. 23). How do you think her craving for love played into the rest of the book?

3.     Strayed admits to adultery and drug usage. When you read those things, how did it make you feel? Why do you think Strayed shared such unflattering information about herself with her readers? How did Strayed’s honesty impact you?

4.     “I’d done a lot of dumb and dangerous things in my life, but soliciting a ride with a stranger was not yet one of them. Horrible things happened to hitchhikers, I knew, especially to women hitchhiking alone” (p. 47). How do you think Strayed’s gender was an advantage on the hike? How do you think it was a disadvantage on the hike?

5.     “I was going to quit. Quit, quit, quit, I chanted to myself as I moaned and hiked and rested (ten, five, ten, five)” (p. 84). Why did Strayed decide not to quit? Do you think her deciding not to, was significant?

6.     “Now my backpack had a name: Monster” (p. 92). Monster was extremely heavy, over time Strayed would attempt to lighten Monster. How does this relate to her “emotional baggage” she carried over the course of the PCT?

7.     “Now there was only one version. On the PCT I had no choice but to inhabit it entirely, to show my grubby face to whole wide world” (p. 111). Before the PCT she admitted to having played dumb and starving herself. She presented several versions of herself to please men. How did the PCT affect her and contribute to this change?

8.     “The universe, I’d learned, was never, ever kidding. It would take whatever it wanted and it would never give it back. I really did have only one boot” (p. 209). Before the hike and after the hike, Strayed lost different things. Where do you think her turning point of acceptance (or at least overcoming) took place in her journey?

9.     “Dying at forty-five had only been the worst thing she’d done wrong. As I hiked, I made a catalogue of the rest, listing them painstakingly in my head:” (p. 265-267). In this part of the book Strayed opens up about her mom. The radio tunes stopped and Strayed allows herself to think about her mom. Strayed listed everything her mom did wrong, how was this helpful to Strayed? Or was it helpful?

10.  Strayed was nervous to write a memoir because she felt no one would be able to relate to her or what she had to say. Were you able to relate/connect to the book? Or were you not able to?

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Run, Brother, Run - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts. 

1.   If Woody Harrelson read this book, how do you think he would feel about it?

2.   Was there any character(s) you found relatable or likable? Or if not, why?

3.   Did this book change your view of Houston or society in general?

4.   How do you feel about the structure and organization of the memoir?

5.   David Berg is a well-known lawyer. Did his writing read as a lawyer or a writer? Do you think his profession affected the book?

6.   Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

7.   What was your overall impression of the book? 

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The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Discussion Questions

Spoiler Alert: Here are the discussion questions for our upcoming meeting! If you have not read the book, these questions may give away some parts.

1.      Why do you think the narrator never gives his name, his mom and dad’s name, or his sister’s name? Did that impact you in any way?

2.      The narrator describes Ursula and Lettie in terms of fabric, and refers to Old Mrs. Hempstock as shining silver. Is there a significance to them being described in such a way? Why do you think the author choice to describe the characters this way? (P. 41 Ursula Monkton, p. 144 Lettie Hempstock, p. 159 Old Mrs. Hempstock)

3.      Why do you think the narrator returned several times to Hempstock farm? Do you think each time he did, he recalled all the events that happened to him as a child like he did this time? (p. 173)

4.      What did you think of the last chapter where Lettie saved the narrator? After you read the epilogue (p. 174), did it change how you thought Lettie saved the narrator or was the flashback on p. 157 clear enough to not be surprised?

5.      In the fairy ring, the narrator recited poems to himself to keep calm and ignore the visions that visited him. If you were in the fairy ring what would you have done to calm yourself?

6.      What impact does Lettie’s quote, “Grown-ups don’t look like grown-ups on the inside either. … The truth is, there aren’t any grown-ups” (p. 112) have? What do you think she means by that and what impact does that have on the “grown-ups” actions?

7.      What do you think about Ursula Monkton? Was she good, evil? In the book it says, “… she’s trying to give everyone what they want” (p. 110). How does that quote affect your opinion of her?

8.      Why do you think the Hempstock’s snipped and cut the memory of the narrator’s death from his memory? Previously he wanted to remember the horrible events that happened to him, like the episode with his father (p. 100).

9.      How did the book impact you? Did you fall in love with it immediately or it took some time for it to work its magic on you? Could you relate to the book in anyway, if so how?

10.   Compare this book to other Neil Gaiman books. How is it similar to his other books? How is it different?