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THE PARADOX OF VERTICAL FLIGHT: Book Club Guide
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R E A D . D I S C U S S . R E P E A T . DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Why does Jack kidnap Socrates, and what does he plan to do? What would you do in Jack’s situation? 2. Why is it important to Jack that he take Socrates to see Bob? 3. What do Jack, Tommy, and Jess learn about living along the way to Bob’s? What do they learn about one another? How does each change? 4. Friendship, family , and time are strong themes in the stor y. How does each theme develop over the course of the novel? What does the novel say about relationships? Did you connect with any one of these themes more than the others? 5. At one point in the story, Jack ponders infinity. Jack imagines his son’s response, “But I think you need to believe in a last ceiling, a ceiling to end all ceilings, a ceiling that limits the unlimited, and renders the universe c omprehensible” (p. 86). Why does the idea of infinity trouble Jack? Do you agree or disagree with t his perspective? Why or why not? 6. Jack knows his time with Socr ates is limited, and there is a sense of desper ation around their time together. What does Jack hope time will give them while they are together? 7. The story offers plenty of opportunities for philosophical discussions about themes like free will, deter minism, and good and evil. Is there a philosophical topic, passage, or scene that you find especially compelling? Why? 8. The story contains mythological references—or motifs—such as the Golden Fleece, Troy , and Daedalus. How do these motifs advance the stor y’s plot? In what way are they symbols and/or metaphors? 9. One of Jack’s questions is about the meaning of life, or our purpose on the planet. Tommy says to him toward the end of their trip, “I’ve been thinking and, well, yeah , the ques t keeps you together, keeps you young, but, you k now, the quest can’t go on forever. It can’t be never-ending” (p. 231–232). What point do you think he’s trying to make about relationships and life? Do you feel similarly? What does the story suggest about the purpose of life? 10. Jack takes his son to a diner for graduation, where he tells him about stealing hi m from the hospit al. As they drive home he says, “We’ll never really know anything for certain. There’s always more ‘why’s, more questions’” (p. 252). What does this statement say about Jack’s character and way of viewing the world? Do you agree or disagree? Why? ABOUT THE BOOK On the morning of his eighteenth bir thday , philosophy student and high school senior Jack Polovsky is somewhat seriously thinking of suicide when his cell phone rings. Jack’s ex-girlfriend, Jess, has given birth, and Jack is the father. Jack hasn’t spoken with Je ss in about nine months—and she want s him to see the baby before he is adopted. T he new teenage father kidnaps the baby, names him Socrates, stocks up on baby supplies at Walmart, and hits the road with his best fr iend, Tommy, and the ex-girlfriend. As they head to Grandma’ s house (eluding the police at every turn), Jack tells baby Socrates about Homer, Troy, Aristotle, the real Socrates, and the Greek myths—because all stories spring from those s tories, really. Even this one. Join the community at www.epicreads.com Book Club Pick! 10/13 by emil ostrovski Guide prepared by Pam B. Cole, Professor of English Education & Literacy, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA. THE PARADOX OF
Transcript of THE PARADOX OF VERTICAL FLIGHT: Book Club Guide
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R E A
D. D I S CUSS. R E P E A T
.
Discussion Questions1. Why does Jack kidnap Socrates, and what does he plan to do?
What would you do in Jack’s situation?
2. Why is it important to Jack that he take Socrates to see Bob?3. What do Jack, Tommy, and Jess learn about living along the way
to Bob’s? What do they learn about one another? How does
each change?
4. Friendship, amily, and time are strong themes in the story. How
does each theme develop over the course o the novel? What
does the novel say about relationships? Did you connect with
any one o these themes more than the others?
5. At one point in the story, Jack ponders infnity. Jack imagines his
son’s response, “But I think you need to believe in a last ceiling,
a ceiling to end all ceilings, a ceiling that limits the unlimited,
and renders the universe comprehensible” (p. 86). Why does the
idea o infnity trouble Jack? Do you agree or disagree with this
perspective? Why or why not?
6. Jack knows his time with Socrates is limited, and there is a
sense o desperation around their time together. What does Jack
hope time will give them while they are together?
7. The story oers plenty o opportunities or philosophical
discussions about themes like ree will, determinism, and g
and evil. Is there a philosophical topic, passage, or scene th
you fnd especially compelling? Why?
8. The story contains mythological reerences—or motis—such
the Golden Fleece, Troy, and Daedalus. How do these moti
advance the story’s plot? In what way are they symbols and
metaphors?
9. One o Jack’s questions is about the meaning o lie, or our
purpose on the planet. Tommy says to him toward the end
their trip, “I’ve been thinking and, well, yeah, the quest keep
you together, keeps you young, but, you know, the quest ca
go on orever. It can’t be never-ending” (p. 231–232). What
point do you think he’s trying to make about relationships alie? Do you eel similarly? What does the story suggest ab
the purpose o lie?
10. Jack takes his son to a diner or graduation, where he tells
him about stealing him rom the hospital. As they drive hom
he says, “We’ll never really know anything or certain. There
always more ‘why’s, more questions’” (p. 252). What does
statement say about Jack’s character and way o viewing th
world? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
About the book On the morning o his eighteenth bir thday, philosophy student and high school
senior Jack Polovsky is somewhat seriously thinking o suicide when his cell
phone rings. Jack’s ex-girlriend, Jess, has given birth, and Jack is the ather.
ack hasn’t spoken with Jess in about nine months—and she wants him to see
he baby beore he is adopted. The new teenage ather kidnaps the baby, names
him Socrates, stocks up on baby supplies at Walmart, and hits the road with
his best r iend, Tommy, and the ex-girlriend. As they head to Grandma’s house
eluding the police at every turn), Jack tells baby Socrates about Homer, Troy,
Aristotle, the real Socrates, and the Greek myths—because all stories spring
rom those stories, really. Even this one.
Join the community at www.epicreads.c
Book
Club
Pick!
by emil ostrovski
uide prepared by Pam B. Cole, Proessor o English Education & Literacy, Kennesaw State
niversity, Kennesaw, GA.
The Paradox of
