The Proving Ground

How does the tragic David Snow subplot function as a narrative commentary on the limitations of the legal system?

Compare and contrast Brenda Randolph and Bruce Colton. How do their differing responses to Tidalwaiv’s settlement offers showcase the novel’s central conflict between moral accountability and financial compensation?

Analyze how the concept of “garbage in, garbage out” evolves from a technical programming principle into a broader moral argument about corporate and individual responsibility in the novel.

How does The Proving Ground use various physical and digital spaces, such as the Faraday cage, the federal courtroom, and the dark web, to dramatize themes of information warfare, surveillance, and the struggle for security in the digital age?

Which conventions of the legal thriller genre does the novel adhere to in its critique of systemic corporate negligence and the societal dangers of unregulated technology? Which tropes does it subvert?

How would narrating from Naomi Kitchens’s perspective alter the novel’s portrayal of corporate power?

Victor Wendt’s character embodies corporate amorality. Analyze how his actions, from the attempted bribe to the final retainer offer, illustrate the novel’s argument about the perversion of justice by extreme wealth and power.

Consider the novel’s construction. How does Connelly use elements like cliffhangers, short chapters, and staccato sentences to heighten tension and create suspense?