Compare Owen Brademas and James Axton. Owen claims at one point that he and James are the same person. To what extent is this true? What obsessions do they share? How does James deal with them differently from Owen?

Discuss the era in which the novel takes place. What challenges was America facing in the years prior to this story, and what changes does it face now on the international scene? How is the period of this novel a tipping point?

How are language and religion intertwined in the novel? How does the cult regard language? How about Owen Brademas? In what ways does he fail to embrace this connection between words and God?

Discuss James Axton's marriage in the novel. What does he expect to happen between he and Kathryn? How does her energy for the fruitless dig reflect a different attitude toward...