The following questions are taken from your blog posts…
On Running Away
What do you think the woman who escaped to the forest was seeking and do you think she found it?
Why do you think she ran away (unless this was explained and I missed it entirely)? Do you think the man’s first wife really died in a car crash? Why did he take the time to mention her to the detective?
On Symbols
How does the taiga landscape function as a metaphor or symbol in the novel? And what themes do you think it represents?
What do you think is the symbolism behind the wolf attack, why did the detective say that the wolf gave them a compassionate or graceful look before attacking them?
On Endings
Do you think the story came to a proper closure? Why do you think so? What makes a proper ‘ending’?
So did that wild child die at the end? Was he killed by a mob of lumberjacks? I wasn’t super clear on that. Also what do you think the book meant by ‘falling in love’ or ‘falling out of love’?
Other
Is this book truly Latin American literature to you? What makes it so, or keeps it from being?
How did you understand the constant medicalisation of the detectives fantastical surroundings?
How does the novel’s exploration of the mediation between writing and experience, as well as the limitations of language in conveying meaning, resonate with broader cultural conversations about representation, translation, and communication in today’s world?
What childhood fairytale did this twisted, mysterious, and eerie novel remind you of?
Which past important theme that we have mentioned in class did you see used most in this book? How?
How reliable do you think the narrator in this story is?
Did you like nonlinear aspect to the story? Did you feel like it added or took away from the overall narrative?
How does Rivera Garza’s skillful use of ambiguity and uncertainty add to the mystery and intrigue of the novel? How did it impact your interpretation of the story, including its themes of identity, reality, and human nature?