Ironman
Submitted by Cherie Muehlberger (profile)

Title and Author: Ironman by Chris Crutcher
Genre: Young adult novel
Class type: Juvenile
Themes: Reliance on others; anger; conforming

"I have forever hated feeling small and helpless." - Bo

"The more fear there is, the more anger there is to cover it." - Nak

Questions related to relying on people:

--Why does Bo have such a hard time making friends?
--Why doesn't Nak's Pak want Bo in the group?
--How do you know when you can trust someone? What if no one trusted anyone?
--Did Bo need help? How did Bo change from the beginning of the story to the end?
--How has this experience changed you? Can you find your own way?

Questions related to anger:

--What makes Bo angry? Is anger a cover for fear? Are you afraid of how you feel?
--What triggers your anger? Are you afraid of being called weak, gay, or anything else?
--What does your anger/getting angry tell you about yourself?

--How has your anger affected the people around you?

Questions related to conforming or being part of a community:

--Why did Bo quit the football team? Some thought it was weakness. Do you?
--Why was Lucas (Bo's father) so angry about Bo quitting the football team?

Other discussion topics/questions:

--The pros and cons of being part of a community.
--Why does our community have rules/laws?
--What rules do your parents have for you that you think are unreasonable?
--What is the best way to go about approaching you or teaching you something?
--Describe the character with whom you identify the most: Bo Brewster, Shelly, Hudgie, Elvis, Lucas Brewster, Shuja, Coach Redmond, or Mr. Nak.
--Bo had a very specific goal - the Ironman competition. What are four goals that you have? Be prepared to discuss one: What is your goal? Why is it important to you? What actions will you take to accomplish the goal?