Jack Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, The Segregation of St. Louis and our BookBrowse Review of Jack.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Raised by clergymen and devoted to literature, Jack and Della appear to have much in common. Are those commonalities the basis for their attraction to each other, or does the true spark come from their differences? What accounts for the fact that Della is quite accomplished in her professional life but doesn't expect the same in her partner? Would their relationship have flourished if it had not been forbidden?
2. If you have read the other novels in the series (particularly Home), compare the scenes in Jack to the images you had previously pictured for the turning points in the Boughtons' family history. What is the effect of reading a prequel, knowing what the characters' outcomes will be while watching them speculate about their futures? How has your opinion of Jack evolved since he was first introduced through the recollections of John Ames in Gilead? Are there any parallels between Jack and Della's relationship and the marriage that forms the basis of Lila?
3. Are Reverend Boughton and Reverend Hutchins kindred spirits or disparate ones? If you were Bishop Miles, how would you have reacted to Della's relationship with Jack?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Picador. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.