Why do you think that the narrator's first name is never revealed in the novel?

Discuss the significance of the character of Crazy Joe to the story.

How is female symbolism used in the novel?

How do the boy's accounts of his school lessons contribute to the storyline?

Compare and contrast the boy's relationship with his mother and his relationship with his father. Who do you think he is closest to and why?

Discuss the character of the grandfather's political and religious beliefs to the story.

Discuss the ways in which religious and superstitious beliefs co-existed in the boy's community and how they affected people's lives.

Discuss the character of Sergeant Burke and his role in relation to the boy's family history. Do you think his intentions were good when he tried to make peace with the family before his retirement?

What does the...