Book Club Questions!

[ladyequinox]

Hi Sounis,

I dusted off my LJ account to come ask for your help because you all are the wisest people I know!

My mom's retiree book club reads a lot of WWII era historical fiction and I suggested that they branch out and try a new genre so they read The Thief. Now my mom would like to send out a list of questions to ponder before they meet to discuss

Comments

[eachase]

First, we're happy to see you back (!) and second, congrats on getting your Mom's book club to read The Thief. If they're usually into WWII fiction, that's a considerable accomplishment.

I really like your question since there are SO MANY clues in the book, so there's plenty to discuss there. Here are a few other ideas that spring to mind:

A few years ago mwt graciously agreed to attend (virtually) a mother-daughters book club that I started. The question she asked us was: which plot twists did you see coming? You could follow that up with, "If you saw them coming, at what point did you anticipate them?"

I might also ask something like, "We're all obviously older than Gen. Given the difference in our ages and life experience, what did you think of him as a character? Does he remind you of yourself in any way? If not Gen, did you relate to another character? If so, who and why?"

I have zillions of quotes flagged in the series. If you want to share a few of your own, you could also ask them if there were any lines they particularly loved or found true to their life experience.

And, for your own amusement, you could ask, "What do you think happens in Gen's next adventure?"

I hope you have a great discussion!

[checkers65477]

These are some great questions! I'd add to it:

What did you think of the characters at the beginning of the book? How did your opinions change by the end of the book, and why did they change?

As mentioned above, What clues about the twist did you totally miss when reading the first time (because of course they'll all go back and read it again, doesn't everyone??)?

I especially like echase's question about what they think will happen to Gen in the future.

Harper Collins has some discussion questions here: http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ReadingGuides/0061870935.pdf#zoom=70

[ladyequinox]

Thank you both for your excellent suggestions! We incorporated them into a list of questions that was emailed out and I hope they all have a good discussion on Friday - and that they read he book before receiving the questions and weren't looking for "a twist" at the end.

I asked my friends if they had a top question to ask because I am always interested in what questions individuals think are important. I think the questions tell a lot about the reader themselves in what they chose to ask. My one friend just asked chatGPT for questions for the book and I have never felt so old when she told me that. So incase anyone wanted to know what chatGPT would ask:

Character Analysis:
1. How would you describe the main character, Eugenides? What are his motivations, strengths, and weaknesses?
2. How do other characters in the story perceive Eugenides, and how does this perception change throughout the book?

Themes and Symbols:
1. What themes does the author explore in the novel? How are they developed through the plot and characters?
2. Discuss the significance of the Thief's role and how it relates to broader themes of deception, loyalty, and redemption.

Plot and Pacing:
1. What did you think about the pacing of the story? Did the plot twists and turns keep you engaged, or did you find it slow at any point?
2. How effective was the author's use of foreshadowing and suspense in building tension throughout the narrative?

Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Choices:
1. Discuss the moral dilemmas faced by the characters in the story. How do they navigate issues of right and wrong, loyalty, and duty?
2. Were there any decisions made by the characters that surprised you? How did these choices contribute to character development and plot progression?

Narrative Style and Point of View:
1. How did the author's choice of narrative style, particularly the use of first-person narration, impact your reading experience?
2. Did you find the unreliable narrator aspect of the story effective in creating suspense and intrigue, or did it hinder your understanding of the plot?

Symbolism and Allegory:
1. Identify any symbols or allegorical elements present in the novel. How do they contribute to the deeper meaning of the story?
2. Discuss the significance of the objects or artifacts mentioned in the narrative, such as the Queen's Gift or the various mythological references.

Character Relationships:
1. Analyze the dynamics between different characters in the novel, such as Eugenides and his companions, or Eugenides and the various rulers he encounters.
2, How do these relationships evolve over the course of the story, and what do they reveal about the characters' motivations and desires?

Authorial Intent and Reader Interpretation:
1. Consider Megan Whalen Turner's intentions in writing "The Thief." What messages or themes do you think she wanted to convey to her readers?
2. How did your interpretation of the novel change after discussing it with others in the book club? Did anyone have a different perspective on certain aspects of the story?

Overall Impressions:
1. What did you enjoy most about "The Thief"? Were there any aspects of the book that you found particularly memorable or thought-provoking?
2. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

[checkers65477]

Wow, I hate it that I’m so impressed by ChatGPT’s questions. I’m leading a book club discussion soon and am going to try this with my questions.

[eachase]

Oh, that's funny, @checkers. When I read the chatGPT questions, I thought: "Ugh! Now this seems like an assignment for an English class."

And I majored in English, so it's not like I don't like analyzing and discussing literature, but I prefer to approach book clubs with less academic language, if not with less vigor in the thinking and discussion.

I'm curious to hear how the approach worked for you. Did AI-generated questions go over well and spark good discussion?

[checkers65477]

I don't lead my book club discussion until June and it's a casual group and not academic in any way so it'll be an easy thing to lead. My first round of Chat GPT-generated questions were simplistic but a friend showed me how to refine them. I added something like "how does oppression impact the story" and the questions were better. I'm going to go in and keep doing that.

What's AWESOME is that the book is All Systems Red by Martha Wells and the main character is a bot with some human organic parts. It is treated like a tool, not a person and shows many personality traits of enslaved people. I'm gonna lead the discussion and at the end tell them the questions were generated by AI and I have a feeling they'll be blown away by that, for this particular book.

[eachase]

@Checkers - That's a brilliant idea to use AI generated questions for a discussion of All Systems Red!

I wish I could attend - the book club is sure to be a lot of fun. I hope you'll report back and let us know how it goes. I'm sure it will be wonderful!