Topic 1

What were the circumstances of the marriage between Shin’s parents? What kind of relationship did his parents have over the years? How did it differ from a conventional marriage?

Topic 2

Describe the difference in the lives of the elite class and the common class in North Korea. What type of activities did members of the elite class sometimes participate in and why? How did the Kim Dynasty family live?

Topic 3

What are the two versions of Shin’s story about the escape plans of his mother and brother? Why did he tell two versions? What sparked Shin’s anger at his mother?

Topic 4

Why did the guards torture Shin about his mother’s planned escape? What finally convinced the guards that he was telling the truth about turning in his mother and brother? What happened to the night guard who claimed credit for stopping the...