Homesick for Another World

How does Moshfegh’s portrayal of sexuality in Homesick for Another World challenge traditional gender roles and expectations?

How does Moshfegh use setting and tone to develop a sense of unease and discomfort in the collection, and how do those feelings impact the way you make meaning from the stories?

What role does humor play in the collection? How does Moshfegh’s use of humor conflict with or contribute to larger themes such as isolation and sexuality?

How does Moshfegh differ in her treatment of male protagonists or narrators and female protagonists or narrators? Would any of these stories work if they were gender swapped? How would they be different?

How do the stories in the collection reflect the specific concerns of the 21st century? Could any of these stories take place in another time?

Explore the use of setting in the collection. How do the locations and environments described—such as the town of Alna, or the locked rehearsal room, or the cabin—contribute to the plot and atmosphere of these stories?

Consider the impact of Moshfegh’s use of grotesque imagery and visceral descriptions. How do these elements contribute to the reader’s experience?

To what degree are Moshfegh’s first-person narrators reliable or unreliable? How does narrative perspective affect your understanding of the world being described in the story? Use examples.