What is the narrative role of Baby Nostradamus in the novel? How does his purported ability to see the future threaten Saturn’s power as author/narrator? What effect does it have that his columns are blacked out and unreadable?

In what ways do the experiences of Little Merced, Froggy, and Federico de la Fe reflect the reality of life in the US-Mexico borderlands? How does the text use magical realism to draw attention to what is illogical, absurd, or “unreal” in the political reality of the border?

Consider the translation into English of names such as Federico de la Fe, Merced, Merced de Papel, Apolonio, Salvador, Santos, Ignacio, and others. What is the significance of these names, and how do they function as symbols?

Using specific examples of love in the novel, does Napoleon’s claim that love does more harm than good seem justified for the characters? What counterweights to this claim can be found in the novel?

Analyze the character of Salvador from Smiley’s perspective. When Smiley tears a hole in the sky and climbs into “the house of Saturn” (103), who and what does he find? How does this figure contrast with the mythic figure of Saturn that exists in the collective imagination of the other characters?

The novel ends with an unambiguous statement of narrative closure: “There would be no sequel to the sadness” (245). What does this categorical refusal suggest about the relationship between an author and their characters? What does it mean for Federico and Little Merced to abandon their roles as characters?

Paper is both fragile and ephemeral but also powerful. How does paper establish legitimacy in various contexts throughout the novel? How does it serve to advance the ambitions of Saturn/Salvador as the story’s author and narrator? In what ways do paper artifacts restrict and control real life?

Using specific examples from the text, what do Saturn’s attitudes and beliefs about women seem to be? Do these beliefs change across the novel? If so, what evidence supports change?