Pulling the Chariot of the Sun Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, The Poetry of Shane McCrae and our BookBrowse Review of Pulling the Chariot of the Sun.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. Shane is a poet, and this background is reflected throughout this lyrical memoir. Discuss some of the most poetic passages of the book. How do poetics or lyrical prose help craft the story Shane wants to convey?
2. The act of naming—and the lack of it—takes on an important role in forming Shane's conception of self, as well as his conception of those around him. For example, the central adult figure throughout the book takes on many names: grandmother, "Mom," kidnapper. Discuss other examples of how naming functions throughout this memoir.
3. Even though Shane is candid about not remembering much of his childhood, in-depth details abound as he pieces together a mosaic of his life, whether it's the dining room table on page 7 or the kind of gum his grandmother chewed on page 42. What significance does detail play in Shane's memories and in memory in general?

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