Crossroads

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of mental illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What distinguished your reading experience of Crossroads from Franzen’s earlier novel The Corrections? Both books center on dysfunctional families, but how did the 1970s setting and religious themes in Crossroads create a different atmosphere for you?

2. Franzen structures the novel around five family members’ perspectives, leaving out young Judson entirely. How did this approach affect your understanding of the Hildebrandt family dynamics?

3. The novel spans three years and tracks each character’s personal crossroads. Which family member’s journey felt most compelling to you, and why did their struggles resonate with you?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How does the recurring motif of Aunt Shirley’s inheritance reflect situations you’ve encountered where family fairness becomes complicated? Have you witnessed similar tensions when money or favoritism disrupts family relationships?

2. Perry desperately wants to become a “good person” but struggles with his analytical mind, which is constantly calculating self-interest in every action. Do you relate to this internal conflict between wanting to be selfless and recognizing selfish motivations that may creep in?

3. Marion keeps her traumatic past secret from her family for decades, feeling invisible and unworthy of attention. When have you or someone close to you carried burdens in silence that affected family relationships?

4. Russ and Marion’s marriage deteriorates partly because they both feel resentful about paths not taken and compromises made. How do you think couples can navigate the tension between individual fulfillment and family commitment?

5. Becky finds her way to genuine faith through initially shallow motivations involving her crush on Tanner. Have you experienced authentic personal growth that began with less pure intentions?

6. Clem learns to prioritize relationships over moral consistency by the novel’s end. When have you faced a choice between being “right” and maintaining important relationships?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The Crossroads youth group represents a countercultural Christianity that differs greatly from today’s white evangelical movements. How does this 1970s version of progressive Christianity compare to contemporary means of religious expression you’ve observed?

2. Franzen portrays the annual Arizona trips to the Navajo reservation as well-intentioned but problematic. How do the characters’ interactions with Indigenous culture reflect broader issues with voluntourism and cultural appropriation?

3. What significance does the novel’s two-part structure (“Advent” and “Easter”) hold for a story about moral crossroads in 1970s suburban America? How do these Christian calendar markers connect to themes such as redemption and rebirth?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Each point-of-view character faces a major life choice, yet their good intentions often lead to harmful actions. How does Franzen use this pattern to explore the gap between moral aspirations and actual behavior?

2. Marion’s extended backstory reveals decades of hidden trauma that reshapes our understanding of her character. What role does Perry’s intelligence play in his downfall, and how does it contrast with his siblings’ different forms of self-awareness?

3. Discuss the development of Russ’s character over the course of the novel. How does Russ’s behavior during the Arizona trip with Clyde reveal his character flaws? What does this interaction suggest about the difference between performative allyship and genuine respect for other communities?

4. The novel shifts between multiple perspectives within the same family, creating a mosaic of viewpoints about shared events. How did this narrative choice affect your sympathies toward different characters, particularly regarding the family conflicts?

5. How do you interpret Marion’s relationship with her therapist Sophie versus her renewed commitment to faith? What does her choice between therapy and religion suggest about the novel’s assessment of different approaches to processing trauma?

6. Crossroads youth group functions as both a setting and a symbol throughout the novel. How does Rick Ambrose’s leadership style contrast with traditional religious authority? What does this juxtaposition suggest about institutional versus personal faith?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write a scene from Judson’s point of view during one of the family’s major crises, showing how the youngest child processes the adult conflicts around him. How might his observations about his family members’ behavior differ from their self-perceptions?

2. Create a collage that captures cultural moments from the 1970s that are reflected in the novel. 

3. If you could intervene at one crucial moment in the novel to change the outcome, which would you choose? Design an alternative scenario where one character makes a different decision and explore how it might ripple through the family dynamics.

Need more conversation starters? Inspire your group with our Discussion Questions tool.