DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Himself |
· There is a range of different hauntings in the book. What do you think about the role of ghosts in the story? · The relationship between Mahony and Mrs. Cauley is central to the book. Why do you think this is? What bonds them so closely? · The novel contains both violence and comedy. How do they work together? Do they mix, balance or cancel each other out? · How does the small-town setting help the plot? Do you agree that the town is a character in its own right? · In what sense is the supernaturally charged landscape important in the novel? What is the role of the forest in the story? · In what sense is Himself a love story? · How does Mahony’s upbringing affect his ability to take on the residents of Mulderrig? · As well as being a crime investigation, the novel contains elements of magic realism (for example, Mahony can see the dead). How does this contribute to the investigation into Orla’s disappearance? · Mahony is an outsider. How and why is this important? · The book has a violent prologue. How does this color your reading of the rest of the book? Is there a change of tone between the prologue and following chapters and if so, what is the purpose of this? |
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