Anita de Monte Laughs Last

What motivates Jack and Nick as characters, and how are they shown to be problematic both in their relationships and in their careers?

How is Hip Hop used as a motif? How does Raquel interpret the musical genre of Hip Hop, and how does her interest influence her understanding of herself and society?

How does this novel depict classism? Analyze how various characters navigate the social tension that surrounds affluence, and identify the lessons that Raquel learns about the ways in which wealth intersects with power to exacerbate attitudes of misogyny and prejudice.

How does this novel portray Eurocentrism in the Art World? Why is Jack a more influential artist than Anita, and how do those same politics unfold in Raquel’s storyline, a full decade after Anita’s death?

Gonzalez has stated that she sees this novel as an homage to Ana Mendieta, the artist on whom she bases the character of Anita de Monte. However, Mendieta’s family was angered by this fictionalized representation. What information can you find on this controversy, and how does it impact your understanding of the novel? Are certain aspects of Anita’s characterization problematic?

How does this novel represent stereotypes and anti-Latinx prejudice? Focus on at least three key scenes to examine the ways in which discrimination impacts the novel’s characters of color.

Contrast Anita’s art with Jack’s. What do their opposing styles say about them as people and artists?

The relationship between art and identity is one of the novel’s key focal points. How does Gonzalez use specific scenes and descriptions to advance the view that personal identity profoundly influences art?