The King of Torts

Does the novel ever offer a positive model for ambition? If so, who is it, and why? If not, discuss how any of the characters could have acted differently to fulfill that model.

Clay is embroiled in a world of corporate conspiracy and scandal, which Max Pace tries to present as mere competition in the marketplace. Use the novel to discuss Grisham’s critique of the free market and the pitfalls of a competition-driven economy.

What does Clay’s final confession suggest about the possibility of achieving true accountability within the legal system? Contrast the novel’s conflicting models of justice or legal practice to support your answer.

Discuss how Grisham uses the physical features of settings, such as “the Cube” and the opulent law firms on Connecticut Avenue, to comment on the privatization of public goods and services. Does Grisham believe that this phenomenon is good or bad?

Discuss Tequila Watson’s character arc in the novel. How does his “conversion” into Paul Watson figure into the novel’s larger themes on corruption?

The King of Torts blends the conventions of the legal thriller with a sharp critique of mass-tort litigation. How does Grisham use genre elements to make the complex realities of civil law compelling for a general audience?

Analyze the characters of Patton French and Dale Mooneyham as representatives of two opposing philosophies within high-stakes litigation. What do their different approaches to the law, as well as the outcomes they achieve, reveal about the ethical crisis at the heart of the US legal system?

How does Grisham’s examination of the US legal system in this novel intersect with an indictment of systemic racism against Black Americans, gender discrimination against women, or exploitation of the working class in the contemporary United States?