Ford's work has been said to be a powerful reflection of American life, although it often takes a bleak view of the possibilities for happiness in the modern world. General topics that might be considered for discussions of Ford's work are the strengths and culpable nature of his heroes, his views on the difficulty of relationships, and the accuracy with which he portrays everyday life and the psychological states of his characters.
1. Is Frank Bascombe an admirable character? Why or why not?
2. Why does Frank not refer to his ex-wife by name in the novel? Is there some psychological reason that might account for this? Is there a symbolic reason?
3. Does the novel have a conventional antagonist or villain? If not, what provides conflict?
4. Does Ford indicate why Frank.....
This is a free excerpt of 135 words. This section contains 285 words. This
study guide contains 13,077 words (approx. 44 pages at 300
words per page).
Read the rest of this Literature Guide with our The Sportswriter Access Pass.
