Tin Man

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel strategically shifts between present and past, and between Ellis and Michael’s perspectives. How does this nonlinear structure affect your understanding of the men’s relationship?

2. Do Michael, Ellis, and Annie form a love triangle, or is their connection far more complex than this well-worn trope?

3. How do the different characters process grief, specifically at different ages?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. In Tin Man, art plays an important role in the characters’ self-reflections. How do you interact with art? Do you connect with specific pieces, like the characters do with Van Gogh’s work?

2. As the novel shows, first love often becomes a lasting legacy in a person’s life. How did your first love impact you? Do you see of any evidence of this experience in your life today?

3. Why is grief such an isolating experience? How do you process grief? Do you depend on others to help you through difficult times?

4. Social standards have a severe impact on how the characters express themselves. What social standards or limitations impact your own behavior and personal expression?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does Winman portray the onset of the AIDS epidemic and society’s reaction to it? Are Michael’s experiences historically accurate? Why or why not?

2. At different times and in different ways, both Michael and Ellis face backlash for their sexuality. How do their own younger years compare to Billy’s experiences? Does the novel depict a change in societal views toward gay men over time?

3. How do Van Gogh’s painting and Whitman’s Leaves of Grass connect to the novel’s focus on themes of mental health and sexuality?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Sarah Winman use imagery and figurative language to amplify the emotions of the characters in key moments?

2. Compare and contrast Ellis’s different relationships with Annie and Michael. How do his loved ones help him to process and express his emotions?

3. How does Winman use the motif of Van Gogh’s sunflower painting to develop the deeper desires and emotions of Michael, Ellis, and Dora?

4. What is the importance of the south of France to Michael and Ellis? How does this setting bring them closer together, particularly later in life, when they each visit by themselves?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Visual art plays an important role in developing the characters in Tin Man. Study the works of Van Gogh and decide which ones elicit a more powerful reaction in you. What aspects of your chosen painting do you connect with?

2. Think of the relationships in your life. Curate an exhibit at an art museum in which you capture the nature of these relationships in pieces of art.

3. Travel and new locations can offer opportunities for profound self-reflection. If you could go anywhere, where would you go that might offer you that same chance?

Need more conversation starters? Inspire your group with our Discussion Questions tool.