67 pages 2 hours read

Randy Shilts

And The Band Played On

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1987

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Essay Topics

1.

In And The Band Played On, each chapter is usually divided by location and set chronologically to tell the story. As a literary device, how does this structure assist (or deter) the progression of the narrative?

2.

In the book, what do the bathhouses represent and why are there such strong opinions surrounding them? Consider the meaning bathhouses incite around love, sexuality and health among the different factions of society (e.g., gay, medical, business, etc.)

3.

Is Gaetan Dugas vilified as Patient Zero in the book? Was he deserving to be anointed as an early source in the spreading of AIDS? How does his representation affect how the LGBTQ community is portrayed?