February 2018 - Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
The Fairfax
Library Book Discussion Group will meet Thursday, February 8th at 7 p.m. in the
meeting room of the Fairfax Library to discuss our February book, Before the
Fall by Noah Hawley.
Discussion
questions are below.
Here are some
links for additional background and information:
David Bateman
and his network are a thinly veiled version of Roger Ailes and Fox News.
Coming up, we
have the following book to look forward to reading:
Thurs. Mar. 8th Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie
Hochschild
(One Book/One Marin selection)
Saturday March 10 At 12:30 pm the Fairfax library
is arranging a skype call with patrons of a library in New Orleans to
supplement our discussion of Strangers in Their Own Land.. Please join
us!
Thanks for
reading with us. I look forward to seeing you at the Fairfax Library.
Beth Bailey-Gates
Friends of
the Fairfax Library
DISCUSSION
QUESTIONS
Before the Fall by Noah Hawley
1. Every person on the plane has experienced
sadness or difficulties in the past. Do you think that, universally, everyone
has his/her own sad story, or is this a unique trait of this particular set of
characters?
2. What different meanings could the title
BEFORE THE FALL signify?
3. “True horror, you see, comes not
from the savagery of the unexpected, but from the corruption of everyday
objects, spaces” (363). Do you agree? Do you see this idea reflected
elsewhere in the book?
4. In what ways is this novel a traditional
thriller? In what ways does it bend the conventions of the thriller genre?
5. The 24-hour news cycle is ubiquitous in our
culture. How is this phenomenon portrayed in BEFORE THE FALL, and how does it
make you rethink what we see on television every day?
6. BEFORE THE FALL alternates between the
present day --- the investigation into the plane crash and Scott’s experience
--- and flashbacks to each passenger’s life. As you read more of the flashbacks,
how does your understanding of the past inform or change your understanding of
the present day narrative?
7. “He [Scott] too is striving for
truth. Or maybe he alone”(356). Much of the book revolves around a
quest for the truth. What truths are debated or searched for during the course
of this book? Do you believe that truth is objective? Do you agree with Bill
Cunningham that “people
have a right to know” the truth (388)?
8. Noah Hawley is well-known for his work in
film and television. In what scenes do you see this reflected in the book?
9. “Everyone has their path. The
choices they’ve made. How any two people end up in the same place at the same
time is a mystery” (1). Much of the plot hinges on chance
encounters or small decisions. What are some seemingly unimportant choices
characters make that turn out to be pivotal? Do you see this sort of
kismet in real life?
10. How is the concept of heroism explored
throughout the book? What separates heroes from other people? How does an
ordinary person become a hero?
11. After the plane crash, Scott meets many
different people --- JJ, Eleanor, Doug, Layla, Gus, Bill --- who want different
things from him. How do these characters affect Scott and his personal journey?
12. In many ways, Scott has been a passive
observer rather than an active participant in life. In what ways does the crash
change how he relates to the world around him and his sense of self?
13. Why does Bill
Cunningham seem determined to pursue conspiracy theories regarding the crash?
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