What role did uncertainty play in the case of Gage? How did limited information and scientific knowledge determine what Gage’s case came to represent in the scientific community?

How does Fleischman portray the trajectory of scientific progress? How did ideas about the brain change over time, from the 19th century to now?

Examine the tension between fact and legend in Gage’s case. How does Fleischman distinguish documented history from myth or aggrandized versions of events? Why is this distinction important to the message of the book?

How does Fleischman aim to make a complex scientific subject accessible to younger readers? Consider his use of narrative structure, language, details, imagery, and examples.

How does Fleischman use historical context to provide a deeper understanding of Gage’s story?

What does Gage’s case suggest about the ethics of turning a person into a scientific case study? In your response, consider how doctors, researchers, and writers have treated Gage, both during his life and posthumously.

What is the significance of the frontal lobe? How does the book use Gage’s injury and later scientific research to illuminate the frontal lobe’s role in decision-making, emotion, and social behavior?

How does Fleischman use structure to connect biography with science? Analyze how the book moves between Gage’s life, medical history, and modern neuroscience. How does this structure support the main points of the book?