All the Glimmering Stars

While All the Glimmering Stars is specifically about Joseph Kony and the LRA (and their war in Uganda and the Sudan), what is one theme related to war that applies to other armed conflicts? Trace this theme’s development throughout the text and discuss how it’s universal.

Choose one moment in the text where Anthony makes a major internal change. Discuss the context of the scene, and then analyze how that specific scene contributes to Anthony’s transformation.

Discuss the first chapter of the novel. Why did Sullivan chose to leap forward in time to show Anthony’s first battle from a different perspective? What is the impact of this framing on the novel’s tone, mood, and/or theme(s)?

Discuss the ethical dilemma of justice regarding Anthony, who escapes the LRA and attempts to assimilate back into society. Despite Anthony’s being forced to work with Kony on threat of death, the Ugandan Army captures him, giving him a choice of imprisonment or army service for 20 years. Based on his actions in the novel, is his punishment just?

Identify and discuss one internal conflict that Florence faces. How does she resolve (or attempt to resolve) this conflict while in the LRA? What theme does this conflict convey?

When Florence and Anthony finally escape the LRA, they hesitate before throwing away their guns. What does their hesitancy reveal about their characters, the LRA, and Kony’s influence? What do guns symbolize in the novel?

Much of the novel has a bleak, somber tone. Identify three points where the tone shifts. Analyze what each shift indicates about the novel’s characters, conflicts, plotlines, and/or themes.

Choose one specific battle the LRA fights in the novel that is based on real events. Research the real battle, and then discuss the similarities and differences in how the novel portrays it.