The Institute

What events at the time of the story’s publication (2019) might have influenced its themes?

Explain Friedrich Nietzsche’s aphorism of “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.” Is Nietzsche right or wrong? Perhaps, it takes a monster to fight a monster. What other stories have you read that explore the same idea?

Compare Tim to the kind of heroes who single-handedly save the day. Which type of hero is more appealing? Why? Do the two types serve different purposes, different stories?

In the final chapter, Mr. Smith challenges Tim by asking him whether saving the world from annihilation justifies the sacrifice of many. Do you agree with Tim’s answer? Why or why not?

How does the children’s society in The Institute compare to William Golding’s Lord of the Flies? Which do you think is more realistic? Why? What factors cause the two groups to behave differently?

The Institute believes they are saving the world by preemptively eliminating people they deem dangerous. King’s The Dead Zone (1979) explores the same question. Do the two stories reach different conclusions?

Tim observes that the Institute is like a cult. Is he right or wrong? In what ways is the Institute like or unlike a cult (see Further Reading & Resources)?

Cult members are manipulated and threatened into believing a group’s mission. To what extent are members culpable for crimes they commit at the behest of a leader? Does culpability depend on the severity of their crimes? Consider these questions in regard to Maureen and Frieda.