Who is the grandchild? What does the narrative reveal about this character, and what do they contribute to the overall narrative? Explain using examples from the text.

What is the role of family in the novel? How does family work as a source of support and of conflict? What does the novel imply about the moral weight of family loyalty?

The empress/Moon goddess reflects that she does not like Jun because he reminds her of herself. What does she mean by this? Discuss and analyze the relationship between Jun and the empress, including their similarities, differences, views of each other, and ways they do (or do not) change over the course of the novel.

Araya’s spear operates as a motif throughout the novel, symbolizing the continuity of Storytelling as a Means of Identity Formation. Using examples from the text, discuss the importance of this symbolic object to the plot, characters, narrative structure, and themes.

Discuss and analyze the Three Terrors, including their impact on the plot and the possible significance of their fates. Some questions to consider include the following: Which is the most powerful, most feared, most pitiable, or most relatable, and why? Explain using examples from the text.

How does the novel comment on the role of storytelling in the lives of its characters? What forms does the act of storytelling take? Aside from its role in the formation of individual and cultural identity, what other powers does storytelling have? Explain using examples from the text.

Discuss and analyze the relationship between Keema and Jun. How does it develop over the novel, and what does this relationship suggest about the nature of desire, both within the text and in real-world contexts?

What does Lola mean when she states that this story is “a love story to its blade-dented bone” (94)? What does this statement mean to the grandchild when they first hear it? How does their understanding of this statement change over the course of the novel?