Don’t Fear the Reaper consciously stages its violence as homages to iconic slasher films, such as Scream. Use this to comment on intertextuality in genre. Are all slasher movies necessarily responding to each other? Why or why not?

To what extent does the grounding of Dark Mill South’s motivations in the 1862 execution of 38 Dakota men justify his murderous actions? Is he reclaiming justice or not? Why or why not?

Comment on Jade’s character arc using the archetypal Hero’s Journey proposed by Joseph Campbell. In what ways does Jade adhere to this journey over the course of the novel?

Analyze the novel’s position towards the “final girl” archetype. Does Jones see this as a positive archetype or a negative one? Explain your answer.

Trace the protagonist’s evolution through her relationship with the names “Jennifer” and “Jade.” How does this journey resonate with the use of other adopted or bestowed names in the novel, such as Dark Mill South’s many monikers, Cinn and Ginger Baker’s adoption of each other’s names, or Stacey Graves’ name as the Lake Witch?

Compare and contrast the characters of Claude Armitage and Galatea Pangborne. How does the novel use these two characters to comment on the ethics of observing, documenting, and consuming real-world violence?

Compare and contrast the characters of Angus Hardy and Kimmy Daniels. How do their characters reflect the drive for parental redemption? In what ways do they extend this drive to Jade?

Discuss the novel’s use of multiple, shifting narrative perspectives, including those of Jade, Rexall Bridger, and the spirit of Melanie Hardy, in the context of community narratives and the historical reports Galatea writes.