Crossroads

The sections of the novel that explore Russ’s and Marion’s pasts are the longest, most in-depth sections of the book. Think about the placement of each of these sections. How is your perception of these characters influenced by the point in the narrative at which you find out about their pasts?

All of the Hildebrandts change from the beginning to the end of the book, but which one do you think shows the most growth? Who changes for the better the most, and why?

Which secondary character—in other words, not one of the five Hildebrandt point-of-view family members—would you have liked to experience as a point-of-view character? Which secondary character’s point of view do you think would have shed most light on the narrative? Why?

The novel’s title refers to the name of First Reformed’s youth group and a blues song, but it also refers to the fact that each character runs up against a major turning point in their life. Who do you think handles their turning point the best, and who handles it the worst? Why?

After Perry accidentally burns down the farm building, his life completely changes. He gets arrested, attempts suicide, gets psychological treatment with serious side effects, and is in and out of rehab. Yet the reader gets no further point-of-view sections from him after the arson. Why do you think Franzen chose to tell the reader about those major events but not show any of them through Perry’s perspective?

What comment, if any, do you think the novel makes on the intersection of race and religion in America, particularly during the novel’s time period, the 1970s?

Which Hildebrandt did you find the most sympathetic? Which did you find the least sympathetic?

If you have had any experiences with American Christian youth groups, how did Crossroads compare or contrast to your experiences? If you did not, how did Crossroads compare to ideas or assumptions you have about American Christian youth groups based on sources like media representations or word-of-mouth?