Romney: A Reckoning

The framing of the biography creates a sense of tension and anticipation as observations about the pre-Trump era are made with the extradiegetic knowledge that issues that seemed so pressing in 2012 will seem meaningless after 2016. How does Coppins’s depiction of the 2012 election compare to his depiction of the 2016 election? What is the effect of juxtaposing these depictions?

This is an unusual biography in that the author reportedly has considerable access to Romney. How does the relationship between Coppins and Romney (in particular, their shared faith) influence the reader’s perception of the text?

Who is the intended audience for this text? Is Coppins writing for Romney’s fans or Romney’s opponents? How does Coppins acknowledge this?

To what extent is Coppins an objective or subjective narrator? What is the rhetorical effect of his attitude towards his subject matter? When does he depict himself as a character, and what is the effect of his presence as both a literary figure and a narrator?

The prologue takes place in 2021; the subsequent chapters take place in largely chronological order. What is the rhetorical effect of this structure?

Coppins offers several perspectives of his subject matter, invoking the opinions of the press, politicians on both sides of the aisle, voters, Romney’s family members, and Romney himself. To what extent does Coppins depict Romney as self-aware?

The tension between one’s public image and one’s private self emerges as a dominant theme of the text. Coppins invites these contemplations through juxtaposition of settings. How do these juxtaposed settings enable comparisons between different perceptions of Romney?

Coppins often drops wry comments that hint at tumultuous changes to come. What is the effect of these moments of foreshadowing?