Group discussions should include two integral topics: anti-Semitism and fate versus free will. Religion and religious persecution play major roles in Singer's novel. Cossacks decimate Jewish shtetls simply because they hate Jews. The hate is based on ignorance and prejudice. The pogroms impoverish the Jews, causing them to turn against themselves. Discussions may involve the question why the gentiles hate the Jews and how Jews respond to that hate. What in the novel triggers this anti-Semitism? Why do some characters hate Jews more than other people in the novel do? Do church teachings play a role in the anti-Semitism?

God's will versus free will is a major conflict in the book, one that Jacob attempts to understand throughout Singer's work. In the novel, Jacob often questions his place and purpose on earth, as well as his relationship with God. Group discussions may involve how much control...