39 pages 1 hour read

Tim O'Brien

In the Lake of the Woods

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1994

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Essay Topics

1.

Explain John Wade’s character in terms of his relationship with at least two other people; such as his father, Kathy, Tony Carbo, Sherriff Lux, and Claude Rasmussen. Does John have power in his relationships? How does that power reveal itself? Does John every feel powerless in a relationship? What is the result? Explain.

2.

What do you think happened to Kathy Wade? Claude Rasmussen says that she “got herself lost. The End. Period” (279). To what extent is this true or not true? Explain.

3.

John and Kathy’s relationship seems, on the surface, to be a great love story. Do they love each other? In what ways does their relationship fulfill or subvert the idea of a strong marriage? What are the elements that make up a good relationship? Does their relationship have those elements or not?