City of Orphans

How does the use of an omniscient narrator affect the story? How would it change the tone if the author has used first-person narration from Maks’s point of view?

How does the author balance the naturalistic and deterministic tone of the story with hope and optimism through its child characters?

Analyze time as a motif in the novel. Focus specifically on Avi’s references to clocks and watches throughout the narrative. Why is time important to the narrative arc as well as to each character specifically?

The novel includes many layers of conflict. Analyze Maks’s conflicts. Is he more at war with external forces such as Bruno’s gang, Brunswick’s lies, systemic corruption, and anti-immigrant sentiment, or does he struggle more within himself to find the courage and confidence to act when necessary?

The idea of family becomes important to all the characters in the story. How does the author manipulate the narrative arc as well as each character’s personal journey to redefine the traditional definition of family?

Analyze the relationship Maks has with his sisters. How does his close connection to Emma specifically help him accept Willa into his life?

Examine the gender roles in the novel. How do the men act versus the women? In what ways do the women step into leadership roles typically inhabited by men?

Consider the role of language in the novel. How does the author use dialect? Consider how Agnes constantly corrects her family’s grammar. How do the bilingual references add to the thematic discussions in the novel?