Code Orange

How does the time period impact the story? Consider that events in the story take place in 2004, just a few years after 9/11 and the anthrax scares. How does this backdrop of fear affect the characters?

In what ways is New York City not just the setting but also a symbol in this novel?

Why do you think that the author chose to tell this story using the third-person point of view rather than first-person point of view? How does this affect the reader’s understanding of Mitty’s character?

How does the book show Mitty to be a hero? Are there any clues in earlier chapters that hint at his heroic actions in the later chapters?

The terrorists are given limited descriptions in this book. Mitty does not see what they look like (they wear ski masks), and their voices are not heard, other than when they taunt Mitty, saying that, after killing “his people,” they will “dance” in the streets of New York. What is the effect of this limited description?

Once Mitty is captured by the terrorists and kept in a basement, the narration switches back and forth between Mitty and those who are worried about him (his friends and family). What is the effect of switching points of view in these final chapters?

Grendel is the monster in Beowulf. Read some of the descriptions of Grendel in Beowulf. Why did Mitty’s English teacher think it was a good idea for Mitty to write a paper that compared smallpox epidemics to the actions of Grendel?

Why is Mitty ready to die in order to stop smallpox from existing again in the world? How does Mitty’s definition of society contribute to his remarkable selflessness?