Sky Full of Elephants Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, The Magnetic Pull of Historically Black Colleges and our BookBrowse Review of Sky Full of Elephants.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. How do Charlie and Sidney's initial feelings towards each other reflect larger themes of family and identity in the novel? Discuss their relationship dynamics and how these evolve over the course of their journey.
2. Sidney's isolation and fear of the outside world are profound. Discuss the psychological impact of her experiences and how they mirror or contrast with societal issues of isolation, trauma, and recovery.
3. Explore the significance of Charlie being a professor of electric and solar power systems at Howard University. How does his profession and its focus on sustainability and renewal metaphorically relate to the themes of rebuilding and transformation in the story?

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