Discuss Maman's attempt to dominate Jaromil's life? Is this a normal relationship between a mother and a son? How does Maman contribute towards directing Jaromil to be a poet?

Discuss Jaromil's relationship with women. Why is he able to consummate his relationship with the redheaded girl and not with the university student? Why is he consumed with jealousy over the redhead once he begins a relationship with her?

The narrator characterizes the Communist revolution as being in some ways a popular revolution. Though this is contrary to the popular Western view of the Communists coming to power in Eastern Europe, why does Jaromil feel that there is a popular revolution? Why is he so happy to join the revolution?

Discuss the author's comparisons of Jaromil with other young poets such as Rimbaud, Shelley, Wolker, Heine and others. Is this satirical, or does Jaromil really...