Duma Key

Edgar notes that “Memory is identity. It’s you” (505). Why is memory so important to Edgar? Discuss this in light of his and Elizabeth’s brain injuries.

Explore the novel’s take on the feeling of flow—being so engaged in an activity that one loses track of time or bodily awareness. Why does Perse offer Edgar this feeling through his art? What about flow is tempting to him?

Pick two to four references in the text—including literary allusions, historical details, or mentions of visual art or movies—and analyze their relevance to the narrative. Why does King include these signifiers of the real world?

Select one of the novel’s more terrifying scenes and close-read it. How does the narrative build suspense and dread? What narrative and rhetorical devices add to the atmosphere of horror?

Discuss the motif of puppetry in the novel. Perse puppeteers a variety of dolls, commands her army or zombies, and directs specific undead to torment Edgar. What significance does this focus on controlling objects or the bodies of others have?

Select several example foreshadowing in the novel and explain the way this technique works to heighten suspense. Is this device effective? Why or why not?

Why does the narrative never reveal the complete nature or origin of Perse? How does the mystery around Perse affect reader experience?

Why does King split his narrative into two time frames? What would be different if the story were told chronologically?