Python's Kiss

In what ways do the collection’s first-person narrators construct distinct personal identities? How does Erdrich ensure that no two narrators ever sound alike?

Comment on the philosophical implications of the society portrayed in “Domain” and “Asphodel.” What kind of worldview would compel people to reject digital afterlives like Asphodel? How might this worldview fit into contemporary real-world culture?

Across the collection’s realistic and speculative settings, what common strategies do characters use to assert personal agency against overwhelming environmental or corporate forces?

Do acts of creative revenge in stories like “Amelia” and “Borsalino” ultimately provide justice and closure, or do they merely perpetuate cycles of deception? Explain your answer.

How does Erdrich’s structural juxtaposition of speculative fiction with mundane domestic settings comment on the nature of reality and the subversion of pure realism?

How do Bernadette’s quest for revenge in “Domain” and Caroline’s sensual exploration in “Asphodel” represent two competing visions for humanity’s future in a digital world?

How does the depiction of the game in “Assassin” reflect the normalization or desensitization to violence in today’s society? Discuss parallel manifestations from real life to prove your answer.

Some of the stories, like “Love of My Days” and “December 26,” play on classical genres like Westerns and neo-noirs, respectively. How does Erdrich subvert these genres in her stories? Which conventions does she abandon or overturn?