Study Questions
What role does music play, literally and metaphorically, in the novel? Is the concept of "music" a coherent or fractured concept within the novel?
What theory of education is put forward by the novel, and what role does education play in the novel as a whole?
Does this novel fit more into the genre of tragedy or comedy? Justify your answer.
Suggested Essay Topics
What importance does the division of the novel into three books carry?
How do different methods of storytelling--legend, fairy tale, History, sports commentary--operate in the novel? Does the author subscribe to one of these methods in particular, or do they play off each other? What effect does this create?
Is Peekay, as a white boy, a problematic hero for this novel since it is so firmly entrenched in apartheid South Africa? How would the novel's impact differ if the hero were a black boy? Justify your answer.
How does the boxing plot compare or contrast with the war/fighting theme in the novel?
Does Peekay or Morrie undergo more of a catharsis in the course of the novel? Explain your answer.
