Table for Two: Fictions

In “Timothy Touchett,” who is more at fault for Timothy’s arrest? Why would the police not normally care about Timothy’s crime? How is Auster a victim of Timothy’s crime?

Why is Jerry hesitant to take Smitty’s shoes in “Hasta Luego”? How does Jerry’s view of Jennifer’s insistence about the shoes change over the course of the story?

How does the song “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor impact the story “I Will Survive”? Which character or characters does it define? How is John’s hobby a source of both embarrassment and freedom?

In “The Bootlegger,” how do Tommy, Mary, Meredith, or Mr. Fein’s versions of morality conflict? How is Tommy rigid view of concert hall decorum shown to lack nuance?

Discuss the different kinds of manipulation in “The DiDomenico Fragment.” Is Skinner alone in his attempts to bilk his family for a commission? Who else connives in the story and how?

Compare two stories’ views of humanity. Are people generally good? Generally evil? Where might Towles present nuance that complicates your argument, and is there a third story that can clarify that complication?

“Eve in Hollywood” takes place in Los Angeles, while the other stories predominantly take place in New York City. What do these settings have in common? How do they contrast?

“Eve in Hollywood” is told from a variety of perspectives, allowing the reader greater insight into the lives and motivations of the characters. How does the narrative change with the incorporation of the antagonists’ perspectives?