Fatherland

How do the German government and the SS try to control the narrative of World War II in the text? Cite specific examples. How does today’s world reflect this same tendency to control what people believe? Discuss how this relates to the novel’s thematic examination of The Dissolution of Objective Truth.

Compare the dystopian settings of Fatherland and George Orwell’s 1984. How are they similar? Compare and contrast the development of the two protagonists, March and Winston. How do their fates differ? What is one theme that both characters convey?

Discuss the conflict between March and his son, Pili. What is the primary cause of their conflict? How does March feel about Pili’s betrayal? Who does he blame for it? What theme does their conflict develop?

What motivates Charlie to help March throughout the novel? Is it mostly her desire for truth, her attraction to March’s ideals, the excitement of the investigation, or something entirely different? Do her motivations change throughout the text? Use specific examples from the text.

Describe the mood of the novel’s final pages. What words and phrases convey this mood? What does the novel’s ending suggest about March’s fate?

Identify and discuss one internal conflict that March faces in the text. Examine how the conflict changes and develops his character throughout the novel.

Why did Harris choose to set the story in an alternative historical reality and timeline? How would the story differ if it took place in real-world Germany or even the US? What impact does the novel’s alternative world have on specific characters?

How much responsibility does March hold for the actions of the SS? Is he a hero or an antihero, and why? How does March’s character help develop The Value of Individual Responsibility in Fighting Corruption as a theme?