Room

How does Jack’s narrative perspective limit the information that the reader can glean about other characters like Ma, Old Nick, and Grandma? Do you think this story could have been told from any other perspective? Why or why not?

Throughout the book, and particularly after Ma and Jack have escaped, Ma is both protective of Jack and defensive of her choices regarding him while in Room. How does this contribute to Ma’s trauma? Do you believe Ma ever questioned her decisions the way her family, doctors, and the media are?

In Chapter 5, Jack finds a group of people on television comparing his confinement to different philosophical schools of thought. They mention Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. How is Plato’s Cave an accurate interpretation of Jack’s view of the world when limited to his confinement in Room?

How is Old Nick’s portrayal affected by Jack’s narrative perspective? Consider the nickname Jack chose for Old Nick and the few interactions Jack has with Old Nick. Does Jack see Old Nick as human? Why or why not? What affects his judgement about Old Nick?

In Chapter 5, Ma explains to Jack that people have different versions of themselves. How is this concept illustrated through the main characters?

Jack holds on to Ma’s tooth after it falls out, and Ma’s tooth grows more important to Jack as the novel progresses. How is Ma’s tooth a symbol of Jack’s attachment to Ma? What does Jack swallowing Ma’s tooth represent?

Once Jack is out of Room, he no longer personifies everything around him. What does this change imply about Jack’s mental state? Why did he personify things when he was in Room?

Outside of the main characters, how does the novel explore The Impact of Trauma theme? Consider characters tied closely to Ma, like Grandma, Grandpa, and Paul. In what ways are they affected Ma’s disappearance?