Wrecker

Compare scenes that echo each other: Wrecker’s two dives down to wrecked boats, the stranding of the go-fasts, Wrecker’s conversations with his mother, or Valdez VII’s musical performances. How do these parallel scenes depict character development or further the novel’s themes?

The book contains many different kinds of anecdotes from Key West’s history. How would you sort these anecdotes into categories? How does each category help develop the novel’s setting and atmosphere?

How does the book portray Wrecker’s experiences with racism in Key West? How does his understanding of the history of racism on the island inform his own encounters with prejudice?