Thomas accuses István of exemplifying a “primitive form of masculinity” (255). How does István’s reliance on physical dominance and emotional suppression engineer both his ascent and his downfall?

Of all the various architectural spaces that map István’s social journey, which one best illustrates the essential superficiality of his life? Which setting contains unexamined truths?

How does Szalay’s detached, third-person limited narration mirror István’s psychological state of alienation and indirectly convey moral judgments of the protagonist?

How does István’s career path from a state soldier in post-communist Hungary to a bodyguard for London’s super-rich illustrate the privatization and commodification of violence in the post-9/11 global economy?

While the narrative is filtered through István’s perspective, Helen Nyman acts as a central agent in his transformation. To what extent does she control her own fate and that of István?

The symbol of clothing and uniforms charts István’s performance of class. How does this element of the novel critique the modern myth of the self-made man?

How does the novel’s abrupt shift from dramatic crisis to the monotonous anticlimax of the final chapter reinforce the author’s critique of social mobility?

Examine István’s fraught relationship with Thomas. What gives rise to the boy’s antipathy? What thematic ideas does this illustrate?