Outline

A character calls Faye by her name only in the penultimate chapter of the book, the only instance in which Faye is named. How does the novel explore ideas of anonymity versus celebrity? How do these concepts interact with the wider thematic emphasis on senses of self?

Analyze the use of setting in the novel. How do settings such as Athens or the apartment that Faye stays in function in the text? How are they described, and what is their wider significance in the story?

Examine Cusk’s use of doubles and parallels in the novel. What are some examples of characters mirroring one another or serving as foils? How do these contrasts and parallels illuminate characterization and/or reflect the novel’s key ideas?

In an interview, Cusk suggests that “character doesn’t exist” anymore because of the homogeneity of people in contemporary culture (Schwartz, Alexandra. “An Interview With Rachel Cusk.” The New Yorker, 18 Nov. 2018). Are Cusk’s views applicable to characters in Outline? Why or why not? Illustrate your argument with examples from the text.

How does the novel explore the nature of love, sexuality, and/or marriage? How do various characters conceive of love and sex?

Several characters in the novel discuss how parenthood can be both an important component of selfhood and a threat to one’s sense of self. How does the novel depict the experience of parenthood? How does it relate to how various characters conceive of their identity?

Faye is a writer, and several of the other characters she meets—Ryan, Panitois, Angeliki—are also writers. What is the significance of literature and writing in the text? How are these writer-characters different or similar to one another?

Outline has been called a work of autofiction (See: Background). In what ways does the novel conform to, or diverge from, common tropes and themes within the genre?