Chapter 17: Beautiful and True

What is so important about the interaction between Ron and Oskar?
Why is Oskar so interested in Gerald's daughters and his relationship with them?
What does Oskar mean when he refers to digging up his dad's coffins as "a simple solution to an impossible problem"?
Why isn't his mom angry or curious about his late night trip to the cemetery?
His mother tells him that his dad had called her. What does this do for Oskar? Why doesn't he share with her about the messages he hid from her?
What does Oskar's reversal of the pictures and the imagined reversal of time remind you of?

The chapter was entitled "Beautiful and True". What is beautiful and true about this chapter?

Some Additional Questions About the Book as a Whole

Do you find Oskar sympathetic or annoying? Or both?

Oskar "plays Yorick" (the long dead jester whose skull Hamlet holds in his hand!) in a school production. What is the significance of that role?

Jonathan Safran Foer has said that he writes about characters and their miscommunications: some characters think they're saying a lot but say nothing; others say nothing but end up saying a lot. Which characters fall into which category in Extremely Loud? What might Foer be saying about our ability to communicate deep-seated emotions?

Do you see this book as a work of realism (in which case the mother's role would matter) ... or as more of a fable? If the latter, what is Extremely Loud a fable of?

Do you find the illustrations, scribblings, over-written texts, etc. a meaningful, integral part of the work? Or do you find them distracting and gimmicky? Why are they there?

How do both main plot and subplot (Oskar's grandfather and the bombing of Dresden) interweave with one another?

(Source: http://www.litlovers.com)

What do you think is the significance of the novel's title?

Who was your favorite character? Why?  

Were there any passages or scenes that you remember well or particularly liked?

Any comments about the way the book ended?

(Source:  http://www.galesburglibrary.org)

Which Beatles reference makes the greatest impact in the novel? How would you explain their centrality in the Schell household?

How does Mr. A. R. Black's deafness contribute to the storyline?

Which of Oskar Schell's inventions would you most like to see implemented and how would it work?

Which of Oskar Schell's phobias seems the most debilitating and how?

What do Dresden, Hiroshima, and 9/11 share in common? How do they differ?

(Source: http://www.bookrags.com)

Chapter 1: What the?

Remember: You don't have to answer all the questions...one or two will do fine...or even just your own commentary. Just make sure you have a decent paragraph so I can count it for credit. This should be a conversational blog, so don't try to sound smarter than you are...nobody likes that guy...just be you and seek out new info when you can.

Raison d'être = reason for existence
Ce n'etais pas moi = It's not/wasn't me

Why does the narrator want to create/invent all of the things he speaks of at the beginning of the chapter? What does that reveal about him?
What does it tell us about the narrator that his physical activity before jujitsu was tambourining?
What does the narrator mean when he says, "Jose"? What does this do to characterize him?
"even though I don't have dreams of running the family jewelry business anymore..." What is the double entendre of this quote?
Why does he only wear white clothes? Does this suggest something about him?
Interesting...before 9/11, no one would have ever thought about a plane hitting a building below the 95th floor...and would have rarely thought of a plane hitting a building at all...

"Even  though I'm not anymore, I used to be an atheist, which means I didn't believe in things that couldn't be observed. I believed that once you're dead, you're dead forever, and you don't feel anything, and you don't even dream. It's not that I believe in things that can't be observed now, because I don't. It's that I believe that things are extremely complicated." What does the narrator mean by this? What does this tell us about the narrator?
What is his mom holding and squeezing? What does this tell us about her?
Why does his grandmother bring up the fact that his grandfather loved animals more than he loved people? What does this tell us about their relationship?
"Zipping up the sleeping bag of myself" -- what does this phrase mean? What does it reveal about him?
Why does the narrator think his mom would rather have the narrator be dead than his father? How do you think this affects their relationship?
The second time he rode in a limo, he went with the renter to dig up his dad's coffin. Foreshadowing...

Besides the marking of the New York Times with a red pen (which is only anal if you're not an English teacher, by the way), how is his father characterized?
The narrator uses the phrase "made my boots lighter" a couple of times. What does this mean? What does it reveal about him?
What do you think the narrator's father said in the four messages that we didn't get to look at? What did his father say in that final phone conversation? What would you say?

Chapter 2: Why I’m Not Where You Are 5/21/63

What caused his grandfather to lose his words? How do you think this affects him and those around him?

"She was the tree and also the river flowing away from the tree." What do you make of this quote? What does this tell you?

Near the end of the chapter, the last half paragraph, his grandfather's thoughts become jumbled, almost manic in nature. These thoughts are followed by him pointing to the word HELP. What does this tell us about the relationship between the grandfather and grandmother? 

What is the significance of the picture in this chapter? How do you think it fits in?

Chapter 3: Googolplex

Oskar says that Sonny, the homeless person he knows, "puts me in heavy boots." What does this mean? How does he deal with this?
Why does Oskar put his father's messages into morse code jewelry? What does this tell us about Oskar? What does this tell us about the messages?
Interesting analogy about the beavers -- why do you think Oskar feels so far away from everything?
What is so alluring for a child about a parent's closet?
Why does Oskar give himself a bruise even though he shouldn't have? What does that mean?
Why is Oskar being so sneaky while trying to find out what the key is for? Why not ask his mother?
Why is he so indifferent about getting a letter and T-shirt from Ringo Starr? He says he's excited and he laminates the letter, but doesn't seem very excited...only mentioned briefly...And why did he receive them in the first place?
Why does Oskar put all of the images from his internet search in a file named "Stuff That Happened to Me", even though these things didn't actually happen to him? What is significant about the pictures in the chapter?
Why is Oskar's father's name written on the pads in the art store if the pads weren't there before he died? How is that possible?
Oskar seems to go to a lot of trouble to make sure his mom doesn't have the messages. Why not just erase them?
So is "the renter" a real person or just an imaginary friend of Oskar's grandmother?
The phone was a secret "that was a hole in the middle of me that every happy thing fell into." Why does he hold onto the phone so tightly and secretively, then?
Interesting list of people he loved...especially the order...what does this tell the reader about Oskar?
What is he conjugating at the end of the chapter? Why?

Chapter 4: My Feelings

What is so important about the letters that Oskar's grandmother is collecting? What is important about letters in general? As opposed to, say, emails or texts?

How could her grandmother love rivers and lakes if she had never learned to swim? Most non-swimmers would at least harbor fear -- if not hate -- of bodies of water...

What message was her grandmother trying to convey with the story of the ruby bracelet?

I found the sculpting story through the proposal to be very beautiful but tragic...I couldn't help but think of Jack and Rose in Titanic...What are your thoughts on this section? Why do you view this scene in this way?

Chapter 5: The Only Animal

I like Oskar's father's philosophy of existence...very simple, very true...or is it?
On his quest to find the Black on the envelope, Oskar lists the things he packs. What things stand out to you? Why do they stand out?
Oskar writes letters to famous scientists quite frequently, it seems. Have you ever written to someone famous? Did you get a reply?
What do you think Oskar's grandmother has nightmares about? How do you know this?
Why is Mr. Black crying?
Besides what is documented here in this chapter, what else do you think could be on the list of things only humans do?

Chapter 6: Why I’m Not Where You Are 5/21/63

"I change the sheets every morning to wash away my writing." What does this mean?
Looking at each of the rules that Thomas and his wife have, I have to wonder how each of the rules came into existence. Take a look at each rule. What do you think happened that made that rule a rule?

What is the history of Dresden? Look that up and see how that might have affected the grandparents.
On his last night with his wife, when he covers her eyes and says "Something", followed by "We must be", what is Thomas trying to communicate?
Here's a good question: It's 1963. He is writing a letter to his unborn son. How does he know it will be a boy?
Why does Anna's father bury books? I mean, the book kind of tells us, but think about it more...why does Anna's father bury the books?
Did you notice the difference between the two pictures of the door knob? Why is that difference significant? What do you think it represents?
What a tragic story about the writing of her life story...what does that symbolize? There is the obvious, but I think there is more. What do you think?
Explain why Thomas is leaving-- from your perspective, not his.
What happens at the end of the chapter on those one-sentence pages? Explain to the best of your ability...what happened there?
Simon Goldberg is an actual historical figure...figure out what he's about, and you will better understand the exchange between him and Thomas.

Test Reminder

Remember, there will be a test on the first day of class. It will include some or all of the following types of questions: multiple choice, true/false, matching, and short answer. If you read both books, it should be easy. If you didn't...it will be an exercise in guessing. The test will also make sure that you read and did not watch the movie in lieu of reading. My hope it that all of you will get a perfect score because you read and read thoroughly. There will be no essay question(s) on the test.

Chapter 12: The Rendezvous Point

When Theo saw his father on an old TV show, he tells us that the "multiple ironies of this were so layered and uncanny that I gaped in horror." What are some of the ironies?

On p. 702, Theo outlines his father's world view and it echoes in various parts of the chapter. What are the flaws in his view? What actually makes sense?

How is the advertisement quote on p. 707 germane to the story? 

Theo is worried about being hunted by the bad guys, he is worried about where Boris might be, his phone is dead, his passport is missing, the Embassy office is closing for the holidays...what are his options?

"The Old Masters, they were never wrong." This is an allusion. Find out what it is , where it comes from, and how it is significant here.

Did Theo's mother's spirit actually visit him, or was it all just a fever-induced dream? What do you think? Explain.

"First rule of restorations: Never do what you can't undo." What is meant by this reference to Hobie's professional code? How is it significant?

"...good doesn't always follow from good deeds, nor bad deeds result from bad, does it? [...] What if our bad and mistakes are the very thing that set our fate and bring us round to good?" Do you agree with Boris's assessment here? How does this play out in the story? How many ways?

"And isn't the whole point of things -- beautiful things -- that they connect you to some larger beauty? Those first images that crack your heart wide open and you spend the rest of your life chasing something to recapture, in one way or another?" Have you ever felt this way about any form of art? If so, tell about it. 

After Hobie's speech about art, Theo tells Hobie that he sounds like Theo's dad. In what ways is Hobie more like a dad than Theo's actual father? 

How do you feel about the final state of Theo's relationship with Kitsey? with Pippa? Do they make sense to you? 

Theo spends a lot of time describing the painting and its significance at the end of the novel. What stands out to you in this section? What makes the most sense to you? 

Is life catastrophe? Is Theo right? If so, is it "possible to play it with a kind of joy"?

How was Amsterdam Theo's Damascus? What does he mean by this? 

Is there truth beyond illusion? Is there a "middle zone, a rainbow edge where beauty come into being"? Is this where love exists? 

"And in the midst of our dying, as we rise from the organic and sink back ignominiously into the organic, it is a glory and a privilege to love what Death doesn't touch." This seems to be one of the bigger ideas in the novel. What are your thoughts on this quote and how it plays out in the novel?

Chapter 11: The Gentleman's Canal

Explain your understanding of the quote by Nietzsche on p. 639. What does it mean? How does it fit in with the story?

Boris's plan is sketchy and largely unexplained. Why does Theo jump in so quickly with relatively few questions?

Again, there seems to be a final goodbye to Pippa. What does Theo's "tableau" show us?

p. 649 Amsterdam is described as being "like a place where you might come to let the water close over your head." Is this foreshadowing? Explain.

During their breakfast meeting after arriving in Amsterdam, Boris becomes somewhat menacing. Why does he seem so unpredictable and criminal in this scene? What makes it so menacing?

Why, with all the potential danger, is Boris concerned with a parking ticket?

The retrieval of the painting seemed to go too smoothly. How might that have foreshadowed the chaos that was to ensue in the parking garage?

p. 695 "Time destroys us all soon enough. But to destroy, or lose, a deathless thing -- to break bonds stronger than the temporal -- was a metaphysical uncoupling all its own, a startling new flavor of despair." Thoughts on this quote? How is it significant?

Why does Theo think of his father at the end of the chapter? How does that fit with the scene? What does that last sentence mean to you?

And what about the passport that was left in the car...?

Chapter 10: The Idiot

What's surprising about the engagement of Theo and Kitsey? What does the china shopping tell you about their relationship? Does he seem to be in love as deeply as he says he is? Evidence? 

Do you find it as odd as Theo does that Kitsey doesn't show sadness about Andy and her father's deaths?

On p. 524, the first full paragraph (A shot...) seems to be an important moment. How so? And how is that moment ruined in the next three pages? 

Theo randomly runs into Boris for the first time in years. What is different about their interaction? What is the same? 

As we read about Boris's life in the Polish bar, what hasn't changed with him? What significant changes do you see? What do you find surprising? 

Why do you think it took Popchik to turn Boris's attitude around? 

What is ironic about Boris's tattoos? How do they differ from one another? 

How believable is Boris's initial story about the painting? Why is this such a betrayal to Theo even though he had stolen it himself? The allusion to Dr. No...is it significant here? 

What does it say about Boris that he brought Popper back? How solid is his explanation for taking the painting? What is most believable about his explanation? What makes that part believable? 

On p. 568, what is symbolic about Theo's knots and cuffs? 

Characterize Horst...what type of person is he? Don't describe him...tell me what kind of person he is and how you came to that conclusion.

After Theo sees Tom Cable and Kitsey together, why does Theo seem so amazed that Kitsey is crying? Why do you think she's crying at that point?

Do you agree with Boris's assessment and advice about Kitsey on p. 594? How does it match up with Kitsey's assessment of their relationship?

In section xxiii of this chapter, Theo ties his situation with Kitsey into his situation with the painting. What is the connection? What brings this to mind for Theo?

How is the surprise appearance of Pippa ironic at this point in the story?

There is this undeniably deep connection between Theo and Pippa that is highlighted after the movie while they are talking at the restaurant. Why do you think Pippa doesn't seem to be romantically interested...or at least as interested as Theo?

At the party it becomes clear that Hobie knows Lucius and Havistock. Do you find this odd? Is it a coincidence that they are back in his life, if only on the periphery?

When leaving with Boris at the end of this section, there is a sense of finality in Theo's goodbyes to Hobie and Kitsey...and the absent Pippa. What makes it seem like such a final goodbye here? 

Chapter 9: Everything of Possibility

How do you think the quote under Section IV fits in with the story? Explain.

What is significant about Andy's (and his dad's) death? Why does it hit Theo so hard?

What is ironic about Andy's death? What makes his father's death equally ironic?

Why do you think Mrs. Barbour is so excited to see Theo when she was so reserved in the past?

Why do you think Theo practices the sketchy business practices that he does?

p. 462 "She was the missing kingdom, the unbruised part of myself I'd lost with my mother." What does this suggest about Theo's obsession with Pippa?

Why does Theo trust Platt to help him deceive  Lucius? Do you feel as confident that Platt will come through as Theo is? And what is significant about the name Lucius?

After the dinner with Lucius is over, do you think Lucius walked away confident that he was right? If not, what changed his mind? Why are the accusations so ludicrous to Theo?

Considering that his reputation would be trashed forever, Hobie takes Theo's confession pretty calmly. Why? Shouldn't he be more angry?

Chapter 8: The Shop-behind-the-Shop, continued

Why isn't Theo excited about his early college admission? Why does he feel bad that Hobie is excited? And why doesn't he try once he's there? And why not live in the dorm? Most high school students would leap at that opportunity.

Theo enjoys the detailed workings of Hobie's shop Why does he remember so many details about the shop and so few about school?

Why is Theo so upset at the state of the building he used to live in? What does its renovation symbolize?

The Goldfinch: Chapter 7 (The Shop-Behind-the Shop)

When Theo wakes up, he says he feels like he has entered another universe. Has he? Explain.

Theo states that he fears his alcohol and drug use has damaged his brain -- and maybe even his soul. Is there any evidence of this? How has his behavior changed without using those things?

Boris texts Theo from the MGM Grand. Based on the conversation, why might it be a good thing that this is the last time Theo hears from Boris for a long time? 

Why do you think Theo was so upset after his initial call to Bracegirdle?

What is it about Pippa that makes Theo feel so happy and comforted? What do you make of her having to attend such a boarding school? Why does Aunt Margaret want her so badly if she's just going to send her off to school in Switzerland? 

Theo seems to suggest that his mother may have had an affair with Bracegirdle. If that's true, does that change anything? And if it is true, how might that change the relationship between Bracegirdle and Theo?

What had Welty given to Theo besides the ring?

Many of you have recently endured the stress of standardized testing for college placement (ACT, SAT). These tests can determine college admission, as well as scholarship and grant opportunities. Theo takes tests that appear to have even more importance attached to them. In what ways are they more important for him than for the average student?

The pressure is mounting for Theo as far as the painting is concerned. No he realizes that he has put Hobie at risk. So why hasn't he more actively tried to figure out what to do with it yet? 

The Goldfinch: Chapter 6 (Wind, Sand and Stars)

There is no doubt that Boris and Theo -- uncared for and unwatched by any adults -- are both coping with the pain in their lives with self-medication and a mildly lawless attitude towards life. Now that Boris has a girlfriend, Theo begins to move away from that lifestyle more and spends more time with his father. Who appears to be more healthy for Theo, Boris or his father? Explain with support. 

Tartt uses a lot of profane language in this section, largely in the interactions between Theo and Boris. In my creative writing class, I make it clear that if student writers are going to use profanity, that it must be purposeful. Seeing as this novel won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Literature, the writer must have demonstrated some important need for this type of language. If you were Tartt and you were in my creative writing class, how would you defend your use of that language? What purpose does it have to the story? How does it make the reader feel? How does it characterize these two boys? Is this, like any good novel, a mirror of the world as we know it? If so, how does language play into that, especially the violent, ugly nature of the language these two young men use towards each other? 

Mr. Silver's first visit causes some anxiety for Theo, though his father kind of blows it off. Boris knows it could be big trouble, but it doesn't really seem to bother him much, either. Should there be concern? If so, how much?

Allusion Alert: Hart Crane poem and Silas Marner. Check them out. How might they be significant to the story?

Why do you think Theo keeps getting the painting out and looking at it...then wrapping it back up and putting it back? Why is he suddenly more paranoid about its safety?

Are you surprised by anything from Theo's conversation with Mr. Bracegirdle? What do we learn about Theo's father in this scene? 

Theo loses his father and Boris in quick succession, though in very different ways. Why does he regret the loss of Boris more? Why does he say that it was better that he didn't take Boris with him? Do you think it's better? 

While in many ways Boris was not good for Theo, I would argue that in many ways he was good for Theo. Theo has a knack for meeting strangers who are good for him. How is the magic cabbie good for him? The bus driver? What might have happened without these two strangers?

Why does Theo feel the painting is like a "holy icon"? How does it protect him? 

Do you agree with Xandra -- that Theo is more like his father than he knows? What evidence of that have we seen so far? 

The Goldfinch: Chapter 5 (Badr al-Dine)

Goldie seems to be rushing Theo out of the vicinity of the building. If you get that sense, too, explain why you think that's so.

Mrs. Barbour air-kisses Theo when he is leaving. While she appears cold and uncaring by doing this, Theo notes that it's the first time she has expressed this kind of affection towards him. Looking at this scene, what do you think her behavior suggests?

Theo's father gives him champagne and, later, some anxiety medication (not named at this point, but potent, nonetheless). What does this show us about the father? What does it show us about Theo, considering that he took and liked both?

What does Xandra's treatment of the dog tell you about her?

Given what you know about their lifestyle thus far, what type of life are Xandra and Theo's father leading in Las Vegas? Where are they on the socioeconomic ladder? How do their gambling habits show this? Their self-medicating habits? The hushed phone calls?

Theo mentions that the other Honors English class is reading Great Expectations. Find a synopsis of that novel (SparkNotes) and see how that story lines up with the story of Theo so far. His class is reading Walden instead. Why that book? Why does Tartt use these allusions?

What is it about Boris that makes him the perfect friend for Theo now that he is in Vegas? What do you think Boris enjoys about Theo's presence?

Boris, who had picked pockets in the past, is quick to scold Theo (and adamant) about his plan to steal from drunken tourists. What is his situational morality here? Why is he so against it, calling Theo a "bad citizen"?

Theo's father acted really weird about the first letter Hobie sent. Why do you think he acted so oddly? What might he be expecting from New York?

Theo finds a lot of Boris's life interesting, but some of the stuff Boris has experienced is just plain foreign to Theo (forgive the pun), and a lot of it Theo finds to be just plain disturbing. What do you find disturbing about Boris's life, both past and present?

There is a subtle shift in the relationship between Theo and Xandra at Thanksgiving. What accounts for the change? How long do you think she'll endure Theo?

Another allusion...is there significance to the author's choice of including Wind, Sand and Stars, by Saint-Exupery? Do some research and check it out.

What is The Idiot about? How does this allusion fit in?

Is Boris right...that Theo's dad is not such a bad guy? Or is Theo right...his father just can't be trusted? Explain your thoughts.

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?