The Goldfinch - discussion questions

1. Theo’s life revolves around physical objects, but is also dictated by the tragedy of chance. Discuss how these forces shape Theo.
2. THE GOLDFINCH is obsessed with intertexts --- references to other works of literature, music, film and art (e.g. WALDEN, THE IDIOT, SILAS MARNER, “Spiegel im Spiegel,” The Magnificent Seven, and, obviously, The Goldfinch, to name a few). How do these artistic touchstones inform the novel, especially Theo and Boris’s cultural education in Las Vegas? And how did they enrich, overwhelm or otherwise affect your own reading?
3. Good people in the book do bad things; bad people do good. When does a good person become bad, and vice versa?
4. Why was so much time spent describing the drug scenes? Did this detract or add to the book? Why were these scenes necessary?
5. How do you feel about the final chapter’s meta-narrative turn, in which Theo pivots to address his reader directly? Are his summative philosophic musings helpful or heavy handed? How would you have closed the novel?

Courtesy ReadingGroupGuides.com readers