Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Why does Jack start the book before his mom meets Dwight? What kind of information does he give us there that's helpful later on?
- Why do uniforms and soldier-y type things interest Jack so much? How does that contrast with his bad boy antics?
- Are there points where Jack starts acting like Dwight? What does that say about Dwight's influence on him?
- How does Jack's mom show that she cares about him? At what points is she too caring? (In other words, when she lets him off the hook to easily.)
- How do Dwight's other children respond to his abuse? Are their responses better or worse than Jack's?
- Why is it so important that we meet Roy before we meet Dwight? How is Roy better than Dwight? How is he worse?
- Why does the book end with the drive back home with Chuck? How important is it that we know what happens to Jack when we read these last few paragraphs?
- Is the absence of Jack's father a good or a bad thing in Jack's life? Would it be any better if he were in the picture? Why or why not?
- What do Jack's friends say about him? Why is he attracted to Chuck and Andy in ways he isn't with his other friends?
- Why doesn't Jack date much? Why does he focus on unattainable women like his stepsister and Annette Funicello?