Tender Is the Flesh
49 pages • 1-hour read
Agustina BazterricaTender Is the Flesh
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Book Club Questions
General Impressions
Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of graphic violence, death, substance use, and animal cruelty.
Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.
1. How did your perception of the novel’s premise evolve from the opening chapters to its conclusion? Did you find yourself becoming desensitized to the violence, similar to characters like Tejo? Have you read other dystopian novels that deal with systematic dehumanization, such as Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go?
2. What was your initial reaction to Tejo killing Jasmine? How did this conclusion affect your overall interpretation of the novel’s message?
3. Which scenes or moments in the novel did you find most impactful, and why? What techniques does Bazterrica use to make these moments particularly powerful?
Personal Reflection and Connection
Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.
1. The novel explores how people justify participating in morally questionable systems for financial security. Have you ever found yourself compromising your values for practical necessities? How did you reconcile this?
2. Throughout the novel, Tejo struggles with grief while maintaining a professional facade. How do you relate to this tension between personal pain and professional obligations?
3. Consider the varying responses to the “Transition“ among different characters. Which character’s way of coping felt most familiar or understandable to you?
4. The stone in Tejo’s chest represents his growing emotional detachment. Have you experienced similar moments of conscious emotional hardening in response to difficult circumstances?
Societal and Cultural Context
Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.
1. How does the novel’s critique of industrial meat production reflect current debates about animal rights and factory farming?
2. What parallels do you see between the novel’s hierarchical society (particularly its treatment of the Scavengers) and real-world social inequalities?
3. How does the novel’s exploration of government-controlled language relate to contemporary discussions about political correctness and censorship? How does its portrayal of language compare to that of other dystopian works, like George Orwell’s 1984?
Literary Analysis
Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.
1. Consider the significance of the abandoned zoo as a symbol. How does it function as both a physical location and a metaphor for larger themes?
2. How does Bazterrica use the contrast between Tejo and Marisa to explore different responses to societal corruption?
3. Examine the role of dreams in the novel. How do they illuminate Tejo’s psychological state and the broader themes of the work?
4. How does the author’s use of present tense narration affect the reader’s experience of the story?
5. Analyze how the author uses the motif of smoking and drinking throughout the novel. What do these moments reveal about Tejo’s character?
Creative Engagement
Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.
1. If you were to write an alternate ending to the novel, how would you resolve Tejo’s moral conflict differently?
2. Imagine creating a prequel story about the initial days of the Transition. Which character’s perspective would you choose to explore, and why?
3. Consider how you might adapt this novel for the screen. Which scenes would be essential to include, and how would you handle the graphic content while maintaining the story’s impact?
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