What We Can Know

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. McEwan is one of the most prominent authors of his generation, with a prolific body of work that includes 16 other novels, including Atonement, Amsterdam, and Machines Like Me. How might you rank this novel within McEwan’s oeuvre? What similarities did you find with his other work?

2. Which of the two narrators did you prefer more, Thomas or Vivien? What made their narrative voice feel more compelling to you?

3. Did it satisfy you to learn the truth about Vivien’s story in the second half of the novel, or would you have preferred an alternate structure for the novel? Explain your answer.

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

1. Have you ever wanted to live in an earlier time? How do you relate to Thomas’s desire to live in the 2000s and 2010s? Do you find his aspiration absurd, or does it resonate with you? Why?

2. The novel explores a world on the brink of collapse. Have you ever experienced this feeling of overwhelming instability? How did you react, and does your reaction reflect the attitudes of any of the characters?

3. Discuss how the novel depicts the emotional labor of caring for people with illness. If you have experienced something similar, discuss how Vivien’s sentiments toward Percy speak to the challenges of care. Does the depiction feel authentic to you?

4. Do you agree with the idea of separating art from the artist? How do you reconcile the popular interpretation of Francis’s poem “In the Saddle” with his treatment of Vivien?

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

1. Does the novel succeed in drawing a connection between humanistic study and climate crisis? Is it necessary to resolve the crisis of the humanities in order to prevent global heating and speculative events like the Derangement? Why or why not?

2. How does the novel engage with the discourse around cancel culture, fame, and personal privacy? Do you think the public should feel entitled to access the private details of Vivien’s life in order to learn the truth about Francis?

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

1. Assess Thomas’s characterization as a worker. Is he good at his job as an academic, or do his character traits prevent him from successfully conducting research? How might this reflect McEwan’s attitudes toward academia?

2. Compare and contrast the characters of Rose and Vivien. How do Vivien’s experiences illuminate what Rose is experiencing in her relationship with Thomas?

3. Elaborate on the theme of nostalgia by discussing how McEwan frames it in the novel. Is nostalgia a positive force in human culture or a negative one? Why?

4. Compare and contrast the first and final moments in Vivien’s memoir. How do the encounter with Christopher and the destruction of Francis’s poem serve Vivien’s character arc?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. McEwan’s novel broadly sketches the social impact that the Inundation and the Derangement have on human civilization. Deepen the author’s speculation by suggesting the fate of your local community when the novel begins in 2119. Where do your community’s descendants live? How do they cope with natural and social challenges?

2. At one point, Thomas wants to write a book imagining himself as Francis’s contemporary. Select a historical figure whose life fascinates you and write a short piece about their life from the perspective of a contemporary. After you share your piece with the group, take turns discussing the common elements in each piece. Which aspects of your subjects’ lives felt most important to convey? Were they internal or external details?