Family plays a significant role throughout the book, particularly the strained relationship between Wilhelm and his father, Dr. Adler. Choose one of the following options to write about:

1) Why is the relationship between Wilhelm and his father strained? What events help define for us the nature of their relationship? Does their relationship change by the end of the book? Why or why not?

2) Minor characters in Wilhelm's family also play a significant role. How do the characters of Catherine, Margaret, and Wilhelm's sons help to define Wilhelm as a character? What do they help us to understand about the story?

3) Compare and contrast Dr. Adler and Wilhelm. How are they the same? How are they different?

Essay Topic 2

As Wilhelm suspected, Tamkin ultimately takes off with his money and leaves him to deal with the fallout. Abandonment is a key motif in the story.

Part 1) How does abandonment affect Wilhelm? Why does Tamkin abandon him? Who else abandons Wilhelm?

Part 2) How does Wilhelm's childhood - specifically his relationship with his father - feed his issues of abandonment?

Part 3) Finally, how does abandonment factor into Wilhelm's own family? How does it relate to Margaret? And Wilhelm's sons?

Essay Topic 3

Many of the events we witness in the story occur because of one factor: pride. Consider the following:

Part 1) Pride was a factor when Wilhelm lost his job at the Rojax Corporation. Why? What happened?

Part 2) Tamkin is the only character who knows exactly why Wilhelm lost his job. Why does Wilhelm tell him? How does his pride motivate him to tell Tamkin?

Part 3) How is pride still a factor in Wilhelm's life? How has this pride caused him to get into his current situation?

(see the answer keys)

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