The Winners

Kira and Hannah are both women devote to their families and their jobs. Compare and contrast the two women. Think about their careers, their roles as wives, and their roles as mothers.

The novel opens with a storm. How do the ways the different characters react to the storm reflect their goals and priorities? Whose reaction to the storm was surprising?

Consider the novel’s interweaving of the stories of many characters. The first chapter focuses the reader’s attention on Benji, while the final chapter says that Alicia’s future story begins where these stories end; that narrator says that Alicia will wear Benji’s name (Ovich) on her jacket. Is there a protagonist in the novel? Who are “the winners” of the title?

Beartown and Hed harbor deep resentments toward each other. However, they also harbor resentments toward those living in large cities. How do these clashing resentments influence the course of the novel?

Reflect on what it means to win and lose and on the rivalry between of Beartown and Hed. Considering that the novel is titled The Winners, what argument is Backman making about victory? Who “wins”?

Identify three parent-child relationships in the text. Describe them and whether they are positive relationships. Why did Backman include each depiction? How does the depiction reflect the novel’s broader theme of nature versus nurture?

Describe Amat’s trajectory through the novel, from his beginning depression to his return to the rink. Where did his struggles stem from? What were his biggest obstacles, and how did he overcome them?

What role does friendship play in the novel?