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

1. The book traces the evolution of several relationships. What long-lasting relationships have you had in your life? How have these grown or evolved over time?

2. At times, Cece wonders about the life she might have had if she had remained with Charlie. In your view, is there a single “right” person for everyone, or can a person have many possible “soulmates”?

3. Several parent-child relationships are present throughout the novel. In many ways, characters’ views on marriage develop based on the individual’s observations of their parents’ marriage. What aspects of your life have you intentionally modeled after one of your parents or another meaningful elder? In what ways have you intentionally veered in a different direction from them?

4. Both Garrett and Cece seek personal fulfillment through their work. What do you find fulfilling about a notable job you have held in your life? If you could design your ideal vocation, what would it look like?

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

1. Conservation and humans’ impact on nature plays an important role as a central theme. What do humans owe nature? What methods do specific characters use to remedy the debt that they feel toward nature? Which methods are successful in your view?

2. The trope of aging is a significant one: What challenges does aging pose to particular characters? How do they confront or attempt to overcome these challenges? What does the novel seem to argue about societal perceptions of value of people to the larger culture as they age?

3. Several characters question the institution of marriage. What does the novel ultimately seem to argue about the purpose of this institution in the United States in the 21st century?

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

1. Elias is present only in a few early scenes, and yet he is an important character, especially for Garrett. Why might the author have made the choice to depict Elias sparingly? What does this contribute to the novel?

2. The novel spans decades. What is gained and what is sacrificed by making the scope of the novel so large?

3. What roles do the minor characters of Lana and Jasper play? How do the personal conflicts they experience connect to the larger conflicts experienced by their parents?

4. The novel covers nearly six decades of the lifetimes of the main characters. Which phase do you feel is the most significant one for each of them?

5. Author Eric Puchner notes that critics have referred to his previous books as “too dark” (Rentz, Aleyna. “Life’s Indignities Unfold in a Darkly Engaging ‘Dream State.’” John Hopkins University, 11 April 2025). To what extent does this description apply to Dream State? In what way might this description be considered a compliment rather than a criticism?