The Goldfinch: Chapter 4 (Morphine Lollipop)

Why does it take so long (131 pages) to bring up the memorial service?

What is it about Hobie that makes him so trustworthy from the get-go?

Hobie talks about things that Theo has been shielded from since the bombing. Are there any areas he touches on that affect Theo more than other areas?

Hobie says: "...yet isn't it always the inappropriate thing, the thing that doesn't quite work, that's oddly the dearest?" What do you make of this statement? How does it fit with the story thus far?

We get more detail about Theo's father...what details are most surprising? How have those details shaped Theo?

What do you think compels Theo to lie about being Pippa's friend? Explain.

Theo notes that his mother was so liked by Andy because she was everything Andy needed that his own mother wasn't. How is Mrs. Barbour everything Theo need right now?

Theo is feeling better, but he feels guilty about it. Sometimes simple pleasures make him smile, and other times these same pleasures make him cry. Why do you think that's the case?

p. 152: "He grimaced -- a twinge that vanished the moment I saw it." What does this suggest about Hobie?

If Pippa can't remember Theo from "before", why do you think she feels so connected to him?

On p. 160, the author makes reference to Calvary. What is Calvary, and how does it fit this situation?

How would you characterize the friendship between Andy and Theo? What does Andy bring to the table?

If Pippa is the granddaughter of the hairdresser, whom the family despised, why is Margaret so determined to take Pippa in? What's in it for Margaret?

How would you characterize the friendship between Hobie and Theo? What does Hobie bring to the table?

What are some ways that you think  Theo could give the painting back without getting in trouble? Do you think he would get in trouble if he just told the truth when he gave it back?

Knowing Hobie's story of his relationship with his father, how do you think that relationship has shaped him?

"...who knows where it will take you?" What does Hobie mean by this? Where do you think Theo is headed (metaphorically)?

"He pushed open the door, and I walked out of the house -- for the last time, as I thought. But though I had no idea I'd ever be seeing him again, about this I was wrong." This is how the chapter ends. So clearly Theo will see Hobie again, but there seems to be a tone to the way he states this. What tone do you see here? What might it suggest? 

The Goldfinch: Chapter 3 (Park Avenue)

Although they have been estranged from Theo's family for quite some time, why wouldn't it be more comfortable to go to family in this situation than to a distant friend..or a foster home? Shouldn't family trump these in this case?

What is significant about the name "Barbour"? What might it symbolize?

Once at the Barbour's home, the father, mother, and Andy all treat him quite differently. Which of these treatments might you prefer in Theo's position? Why?

What makes the choice to stay with the Barbour family appear to have been a really good choice? Give some specifics that make it appear to be a good place for Theo at this time.

Theo describes the Barbour home in less-than-flattering terms, as does his father in the past. It is said to feel like a funeral home, and Theo finds that comforting. Why comforting?

At the end of section iii, Theo tells us, "Over and over, I kept thinking I've got to go home and then, for the millionth time, I can't." What does he mean by this? Explain.

Why do you think Tom Cable treats Theo the way he does when he returns to school?

What is significant about all the advice and comforting words the school staff give to Theo? What does this do for him?

In lieu of staying with the grandparents due to Dorothy's "back ailment", his grandparents offer to put him up in a Holiday Inn. What does this suggest about them?

I know we don't know yet,..but what is significant about the name "Blackwell"? Why do you think the name and the ring are of such interest to Mrs. Barbour?

On p. 98, Andy offers the following quote: "Nature red in tooth and claw." Where is this quote from? How is it appropriate to the situation?

Why do you think the grandparents are so reticent to take him in? He's 13, not 3...how much work could that be? Heck, he could probably even help...

While the Barbours have plenty of resources to help care for Theo, this doesn't seem to be a great place for him. Why does that appear to be true? Give some examples.

In the police interview at the school, why can't Theo remember details that he has already related to us and can recall right after the interview? Why don't those who are there to act as advocates for him actually step up and advocate more for him in this scene?

Can you see any symbolism in the Whitman poem? How might it tie into the story? What does the allusion to Macbeth mean?

What about the funeral...?

Although far from being motherly, in what ways does Mrs. Barbour display motherly traits towards Theo?

Do a quick search for Billy Budd. What is that story about? How might it relate to this story?

How do you predict the ring will come into play? And Hobie? He seems to be an intriguing character already...

The Goldfinch: Chapters 1 (Boy with a Skull) and 2 (The Anatomy Lesson)

Chapter 1: Boy with a Skull

The author sets the story up by having the narrator appear to be on the run from a crime, yet the narrator doesn’t seem like a criminal in any way. What effect does this have when it comes to the narration?

I suggest using an online Dutch-English dictionary to help with the language here.

Why do you think he dreams of his mother in this situation?

Why do you think his memory of the birthday scene is so vivid, so important?

What does it tell you about the narrator’s mother that she strikes up conversations with doormen, waitresses, etc.? What does it tell you about his father that his father was annoyed by this behavior?

What does the negative behavior of the narrator tell you about him? What kind of person is he based on his account of his own bad behavior?

What does the narrator’s handling of his mother’s illness tell you about him?

How does the setting help develop the scene in this chapter?

Beyond the bare facts, what does the history of the narrator’s mother tell us about her as a character?

What is the importance of natures mortes?

What foreshadowing to the paintings provide?

After the explosion, what is the significance of what the narrator imagines in his groggy state? What does this tell you about him?

What is alprazolan usually prescribed for? Is this significant?

Why does he stay for such an intimate moment with the old man when he should have been looking for his mother? Do you think he imagines her there, or is it a spectre or spirit of some sort?

When first encountering the disaster, I was certain that the museum was part of the fallout from the 9/11 tragedy. Later it becomes clear it was a bomb. What part(s) of the description makes it seem that it was related to 9/11? How is it similar?

While the narrator searches for his mother in the wreckage, he encounters a slew of graphic scenes and horribly dismembered people. How does he present this information? What does that tell us about his state of mind?

What do we know at the end of the chapter that he doesn’t? How do we know this?

Chapter 2: The Anatomy Lesson

How would you characterize the narrator’s relationship with his father? How do you think this shapes the narrator?

Once the narrator returns to the apartment and begins searching for his mother, is there anything you think he should have done other than what he did? Can you empathize with his position during this?

When Theodore gets the call from the family services agency, what motivates him to repeatedly lie about his father’s whereabouts?

Why do you think it is easier for us to figure out his mother is dead than it is for Theodore to figure out? What keeps him from figuring out what we knew or suspected long before the knock at the door?