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...
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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...
View ArticleGoogolplex
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...
View ArticleWhy 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?...
View ArticleWhat 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...
View ArticleSome 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...
View ArticleBeautiful 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...
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Oskar's grandma says something interesting when he offers to get her magazines like he used to do: "I told him to bring a suitcase so he could come back with one of everything." She follows this up by...
View ArticleA Simple Solution to an Impossible Problem
Notice the parallel between Oskar's thoughts on not knowing when the "last time" would be and the thoughts on this in the previous chapter. What is significant about this?Where does Oskar think Mr....
View ArticleWhy I'm Not Where You Are 9/11/03
What did you make of the way this chapter was started?What is different about this door knob?Why does Oskar's grandmother allow Thomas back into her life?The code using telephone pad numbers may have...
View ArticleAlive and Alone
I think it's the first time I've seen the phrase "extremely loud" in the book. In this case, it's pessimistic thinking that is so loud in his mind...not sure where that will lead...Why are all of the...
View ArticleMy Feelings
Why is the interview with the father of the missing girl so important to this story?There's a shift in the conversation...she starts off the story by referring to Oskar as "you"...then she shifts and...
View ArticleThe Sixth Borough
Why does Oskar's father tell him the story of the Sixth Borough? What is the moral of the story here? How does it tie in with Oskar's earlier search in Central Park?
View ArticleWhy I'm Not Where You Are 4/12/78
Why has this chapter been marked up in red? What does that tell you?So Oskar's grandfather had gotten Anna pregnant before the bombing of Dresden. How does this change your view of him and his behavior...
View ArticleHappiness, Happiness
A very graphic, first-hand description of the atomic bomb attack on Japan. What is significant about Oskar's choice to share this with the class? How is it connected?How does the story of Buckminster...
View ArticleMy Feelings
Oskar's grandmother states, "He never took pictures of me, and we didn't buy life insurance." What does this statement tell us about the character and their relationship?When did his grandma move?...
View ArticleHeavier Boots
What do you think compelled all of the Blacks to show up for Oskar's play?Why does Oskar fantasize such a violent ending to Hamlet?I wonder if The Cyclone is still standing after Hurricane Sandy...just...
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The Goldfinch: Chapters 1 (Boy with a Skull) and 2 (The Anatomy Lesson)
Chapter 1: Boy with a SkullThe 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...
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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...
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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...
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