Independence Day

What do you make of the Clair Devane anecdote? Why is it included in the narrative? How does it connect to the broader themes of the novel?

As a first-person narrator, how would you evaluate Frank’s reliability? In what ways is he generally reliable? In what ways is he not reliable?

Frank becomes a realtor because he feels that the profession fits well with his new phase of life. Considering what Frank says in the novel about the transitory nature of life, do you feel this is a wise decision? Is it contradictory? Do you think he will remain as a realtor for long, even after he enters his “permanent period?”

Frank says of his political beliefs: “It’s the typical three-way liberal paradox: anxiety mingled with pride and self-loathing” (122). Do you agree with his assessment of liberal political leanings? Why or why not?

For much of the novel, Frank struggles to come to grips with past trauma in his life, especially as this relates to his marriage. In many ways, as even Frank alludes to, his thoughts are often mired in the past. Yet when he reunites with his long-lost stepbrother Irv, he has almost no desire to forge a new relationship with him. What do you make of this apparent contradiction? What does it reveal about Frank’s psychology?

From a psychological perspective, how would you describe what is happening with Paul? Which stresses and traumas in his life are causing him to behave this way?

All of the chapters in the book are numbered except the final one. Why do you think Richard Ford would employ this strategy?

What is the novel’s ultimate message about the nature of freedom and independence, either from the cultural perspective or as these concepts pertain to the individual?