The Guncle

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• How does the author contrast initial reactions to loss with the long-term impact of grief? 
• What was your favorite “breakthrough moment” from the narrative? In what ways, if any, do you relate to said moment?
• In your opinion, what is the novel’s most important message?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Many of the characters in the novel are undergoing stressful challenges or are struggling to recover from traumatic emotional experiences. Which character do you most closely identify with, and why?
• As Patrick navigates the tricky challenges of being a parental figure, his wry narration reveals his unique approach to life. Which of his many aphorisms strikes you as the most profound? Why does this particular statement resonate?
• Patrick and the children find an unlikely form of connection in the creation of YouTube videos. In your own life, how do real-world relationships collide with technology? Do these collisions detract from or enhance the relationships in question?
• Consider the many different parental roles modeled in the narrative.  Which version(s) do you find to be the most effective, and why?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does the author use the novel’s premise to critique mainstream society’s prejudices against unconventional families?
• Analyze Patrick’s interactions with Clara. How do Clara’s shifting views reflect a broader social pattern around the modern-day issues of gender politics?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• What are the implicit parallels between Patrick’s grief over the loss of Joe and the children’s grief over their mother’s death?  
• How does Patrick use the “Guncle Rules” to initiate a superficial rapport with Maisie and Grant?  At what point does this whimsical approach become unnecessary, and why?
• In several different instances, characters express their grief in markedly different ways. How does Patrick use his past experiences with loss to validate Maisie and Grant’s feelings about their mother?  Do his painful memories of Joe’s loss help or hinder his progress in this regard?
• What life lessons does Patrick learn from the challenges of helping Maisie and Grant to cope with Sara’s loss?  Choose at least three crucial scenes that force him to adjust his perspective on the world.
• What is the difference between Patrick’s initial solitude and the loneliness he feels after the children leave? 

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• In one scene, Patrick encourages Maisie and Grant to write letters to Sara. Take this concept one step further and imagine an exchange between Patrick and the late Sara, in which they discuss the children.  What questions might Patrick have, and what advice might Sara be able to provide? What issues might remain unresolved?
• Using the novel’s conclusion as inspiration, extrapolate what the main characters might be doing in ten years. How might Patrick’s career have evolved, and how would he relate to a more mature Maisie and Grant? 

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