The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

Using textual evidence, describe Music as a character: Who is Music? Is it a reliable narrator? Why or why not?

Describe the role of Frankie’s guitar strings. Does magic turn them blue, or something else?

Love and music are two intertwining themes throughout the novel. How are these two ideas connected, and at what points do they diverge? Think specifically about the parallels and differences between Frankie and Music, and Frankie and Aurora.

The idea that history repeats itself is another constant theme in the novel. Choose two examples of this theme and explore their similarities. What moral arises from these experiences?

Using textual evidence, describe Frankie’s relationship with Music. Is Music like a friend or a father to Frankie? Or something else?

In Chapter 55, Frankie “realized how many people it takes to keep one child alive in this world” (427). Explain this quote using textual evidence from the novel. Who helped keep Frankie alive?

The point of view goes back and forth between Music and various musicians who knew Frankie. What does this technique add to Frankie’s story?

The connections between Frankie and Táregga are constantly revisited throughout the novel. What is the nature of their connection? And why is it important to the story?