The Man Who Loved Clowns

Is there an antagonist in The Man Who Loved Clowns? How could different characters fit this role at different points in the story? Sometimes, an antagonist can be a concept rather than a character. What concepts could be the antagonists of this novel?

The Man Who Loved Clowns was published in 1992. What terminology, ideas, and cultural understandings mark the novel as being written in the past? How would Punky’s life be different if he lived today?

Analyze the similarities and differences between Delrita and Avanelle. In your answer, consider how their relative family lives influence who they are as characters.

What is the significance of church and religion in Delrita’s life? Does her relationship with religion change over time?

Discuss the different ways in which characters deal with loss and grief throughout the novel. How does the author’s treatment of these various manifestations of grief expand on the thematic meaning of the novel?

Delrita often uses figurative language to express her feelings. Choose three examples of metaphors and similes she uses and explain their literary and rhetorical effects.

June Rae Wood wrote a sequel to The Man Who Loved Clowns called Turtle on a Fence Post. Before reading it, imagine what might transpire in this sequel. Delrita has just lost her three closest family members, is beginning a new romance, and is adjusting to a new life with her aunt and uncle. What are some possibilities regarding the significance of the title Turtle on a Fence Post?

Discuss the novel’s treatment of poverty through its setting of Tangle Wood, Missouri, in the US Ozark Mountains. Research rural Ozark poverty and explore how it is depicted in the novel.