Study Questions and Essay Topics
Study Questions
Evaluate Claude's importance to the novel.
Make an argument for Tod or Homer as the protagonist of the novel.
Discuss the significance of birds and birdsong to the novel.
Suggested Essay Topics
Evaluate the importance of dancing in the novel.
What role does history play in The Day of the Locust? Think specifically about the historical films Tod's studio produces, and about the characters' personal histories, or lack thereof.
In what way can The Day of the Locust be seen as a Depression novel?
In what ways is the form of the novel "filmic"?
Is the end of the novel a positive one? How has Tod's position changed throughout the novel?
What role does nature play in the novel?
When and how does violence occur in The Day of the Locust? What happens after this violence occurs? Are there different kinds of violence?
