The Book of Daniel

The novel shows that Daniel is both a victim and a perpetrator of generational trauma. What does Daniel’s dual role as victim and perpetrator reveal about trauma and about how cycles of generational trauma might be broken?

Pick one of the books or authors Daniel or The Book of Daniel alludes to, and explain how that work or author illuminates something about the novel.

The Book of Daniel examines the ways dueling ideologies of capitalism and communism shape people’s lives and identities. Does the novel endorse one over the other? If so, which, and why? If not, what does the book endorse?

The novel contrasts individuals’ memories with narratives of events presented by newspapers, the government, and activist organizations. What is the relationship among these various sources? Is one more or less “accurate” than another? Why or why not?

The novel is clear that the Isaacsons’ executions were a miscarriage of justice. What other legal failures does the novel portray? What do they suggest about the relationship between the law and corruption in other parts of society?

Why does The Book of Daniel leave the question of the Isaacsons’ guilt unanswered?

The novel seems to suggest that there is no objective truth for Daniel to discover. In the absence of objective truth, what other kinds of truths does the novel reveal?

Consider the major female characters in the novel: Rochelle, Susan, and Phyllis. How are they similar, and how do they differ? What do their similarities and differences suggest about the role of gender in the novel’s themes?