34 pages 1 hour read

Pat Conroy

The Lords of Discipline

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1980

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Essay Topics

1.

How would The Lords of Discipline have been different if it had been written in the third person, from Will’s perspective? What would be lost or gained by such a format?

2.

Why does the narrative mostly avoid Will’s sophomore and junior years? What purpose, in terms of creating an interesting or coherent storyline, might such omissions serve?

3.

What do you think is the root cause of Will’s skepticism towards authority figures? Return to Will’s social and family background, but also consider evidence from Will’s time at the Institute.