1. Buddy Walker "falls down": Discuss the different sides of Buddy's character in relation to his participation in the house trashing.

2. Discuss the family relationship of the Jeromes with regard to your ideas of an ideal family.

3. Compare Jane's relation to Karen and Artie with Buddy's relation to Addie.

4. Discuss Jane and Buddy's relationship in terms of what it means to both of them and explain whether you feel that Jane is too hard on Buddy in the end.

5. Discuss your favorite character from Cormier's novel and explain why he or she sets an example for you.

6. Discuss the title of the novel with regard to its meaning to the protagonists as well as to yourself.