Walden Two is heavy on ideas and short on action, characters, and plot. How does Skinner maintain the reader's interest?
Walden Two walks the line between fiction and non-fiction. Why do you think Skinner wrote it as a novel rather than as an extended essay? What effect do the "novelistic" parts of the book--plot, character development, and so on--have on its effectiveness as an essay?
Frazier argues that morality, freedom and democracy are outdated concepts; the only way to fix the problems of humanity is to control human behavior using positive reinforcement. What arguments does Castle present against this view? Do you find them convincing?
Frazier's God complex, revealed in Chapter 33, is disturbing to Burris and probably to many readers as well. How does it affect the relationship between Burris and Frazier? How does it affect Burris's decision to return to Walden Two? If Walden Two is meant to "sell" the idea of a society designed by psychologists, do you think this helps or hinders that goal?
Women are supposed to be equal to men in Walden Two, but all of the main characters in Walden Two are men. Furthermore, Frazier often says that men and women are equal, but he acts in ways that suggest they shouldn't be. Discuss this tension, referring in particular to the discussion of clothing in Chapter 5 and to the treatment of Barbara and Mary (particularly the discussion between Burris and Frazier about Barbara's power over Rodge).
