1. What effect does Armstrong create by not naming any of the characters in this book? Do you think this makes the characters seem more timeless and universal, or does it make them seem like stereotypes?

2. What does the author gain by telling the story through the eyes of a child?

Does the boy's innocence intensify your reactions to events?

3. Why is the dog's name used as the title of this book? What purposes does the dog Sounder serve in the novel and in the lives of the family?

4. In your opinion, is there as much racism today as there was in the time depicted by Sounder? Are there different ways of expressing racism today?

5. Can the unnamed boy who is the protagonist in Sounder be called a hero?

If so, what are some of the heroic traits he displays?