Consider how the authors integrated Adlerian psychology and Greek philosophy to create this narrative. How does their work directly borrow from those traditions? How does their work diverge from these philosophies to become its own unique approach?

How does the philosopher utilize figurative language to communicate complex theories to the youth? Conversely, how does the youth utilize figurative language to communicate his doubts and questions to the philosopher?

Track the young man’s transformation throughout the novel. Where do the deepest turning points lie? Is his change linear or winding? How does his tone, attitude, behavior, and language in the final discussion differ from his demeanor in their first exchange?

Discuss the role of setting in this book. How important or unimportant is the time and place of their discussion?

The young man asks about the philosopher’s beliefs throughout the book, but what topics do they never explore? What questions, confusions, or doubt are you left with, if any?

Consider the authors’ choice of structure. Why did they write the book almost entirely through dialogue? Why did they choose to include brief moments of description?

Throughout the book, both the youth and the philosopher divulge aspects of their family history. What influences do these stories and examples have on their conversation? What do they communicate about each character?

This book was originally written in Japanese and published in 2013, but more recently, it has been translated into several languages and published in over 50 countries. Given that these Japanese authors are writing about philosophical and psychological theories that were developed in the West, how does their work reflect the influences of Japanese and Western belief systems and norms?