Discussion Questions

Whether reading on your own or with a group, use these questions to deepen your reading experience.

Renne describes being very lonely as a child. Did his mother help him or hurt him? How did his lonely childhood influence his young adulthood?

Where does musical talent come from? Is it a nature vs. nurture situation? If you recognized musical genius in your child, would you handle the situation differently or the same as Renne's parents?

How does Renne come to view himself as a failure? In all areas? Does he feel satisfied at all? He longs to concertize again. What stops him?

“Most of the child prodigies you read about in the paper or see onstage are gifted mimics rather than artists…” What does Renne mean by this? Discuss Renne's concept of musical emotions. (36)

Renne almost decides not to teach Kyung-hee Kim. Why is this? What changes his mind? Does this teacher-pupil relationship benefit both individuals? How?

Describe Professor von Kempen and his influence on Renne.

How is the jury system portrayed in the novel? Is the author commenting on the system? How?

1. What do you learn about Zen Buddhism from reading this novel? What does the “killing the Buddha you meet in the road” story signify?

2. How are Renne and Kyung-hee alike?

3. The trial is divided into two parts; the guilt phase and the sanity phase. Why did it work this way? How does the burden of proof shift? How does this allow the story to advance? What do you learn about justice?

4. What is Ms. Doppelt's defense strategy? And the prosecutor's? Are they convincing? Did you have a difficult time deciding whether the defendant was insane?

5. Does insanity excuse responsibility?

6. How do you feel about Maria-Teresa and Renne's relationship?

7. How does Renne's quest for perfection cause him harm? Does he ever overcome this? How?

8. “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not the attainment.” This quote of Gandhi's is used by a witness to explain Zen. How might it also apply to Renne's life?

9. Renne undergoes a serious examination of his identity. Discuss the elements of his self-examination and how important each one is? (music, sexuality, loneliness… are there others?)

10. Discuss Renne's “graduate recital.”

11. Where will the story go from here?

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