Ozymandias speculates that the Tripods are either from another planet or are a human invention gone awry. Which of these two explanations seems most plausible?

Why would the Tripods enforce a feudal government on humanity? How is Feudalism more appropriate to the Tripods' goals than Democracy?

Would you rather live like Jack Leeper and Eloise or like Will Parker and Beanpole?

The novel is set on a futuristic Earth. The distances and places noted in the narrative can, for the most part, be easily located in a standard Atlas. How does the setting of Earth contribute to the dark tone of the novel?

For most of his life, Will Parker has held a wristwatch to be a desirable object of value. After he meets Eloise, however, his personal watch becomes less and less valuable. When Will subsequently loses his watch in a simple accident, he...