46 pages • 1 hour read
Kate AtkinsonA God in Ruins
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2015A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Why does Teddy think that the war is a relief, despite the danger and the horrors it will expose him to?
Do you believe that Viola experiences a significant change at the end of the novel, or that she is feeling something fleeting and will then revert back to her usual self?
Discuss the nature of secrets in the novel. Why do various characters keep their secrets?
How is Teddy’s relationship with Ursula different from those with his other siblings?
What does Ursula mean when she says that Teddy lived his life perfectly?
Justify the author’s choice to jump back and forth in time from chapter to chapter, and even page to page. Would the book be as effective, or more effective, if told chronologically? Why or why not?
What is the role of art in the novel?
Why does Teddy believe that the war is erasing his identity?
Why are Teddy and Viola never shown discussing Nancy’s death?
Teddy promises himself that he will always be kind. Why do you think the war prompts this reaction in him?
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