Study Questions and Suggested Essay Topics
Study Questions
Discuss the relationship between Jack Diamond and F. Scott Fitzgerald's character the Great Gatsby.
Trace the development of cats as a motif associated with Jack.
Discuss what might motivate Marcus when he composes Jack Diamond's epitaph. Is there anything in it for Marcus?
Suggested Essay Topics
Connect the motif of the canary to Jack, Kiki, and Alice. Which character is most like a canary?
Jack admits that Fogarty is essentially his replacement for Eddie. If that is so, why does Jack turn on Fogarty?
Discuss the ways in which Jack Diamond is both a representation and a betrayal of the American Dream.
Alice appears innocent, but her mysterious murder suggests that she knew more about her husband's underworld doings than she seems to. How much do you think Alice was involved in Jack's crimes?
This novel is filled with scattered bizarre moments: the sailor with bird feathers, the strange street vender who tells Kiki not to quit show business, and Jack's knitting dog, for example. What is the significance of these strange moments?
