Question 7

Describe Flanagan’s parents as characterized by him in the text. Do they seem like “good” parents? To what extent does Flanagan portrayal of them in and through the work reflect his thematic engagement with Memory, Understanding, and Forgiveness?

Compare and contrast the two main historical figures in Question 7, H. G. Wells and Leo Szilard. To what extent were their views related? How did they differ in their actions?

How do different Japanese people Flanagan encounters remember, understand, and seek forgiveness for the “slave labour” forced upon POWs like Flanagan’s father? What are Flanagan’s reactions to these encounters? How does this experience impact his view of forgiveness for historic atrocities more generally?

How does Flanagan use the concept of “oblivion” throughout Question 7? What does it signify and what is its importance to life and death? How does it relate to sex and love?

In Part 9, Chapter 17, Flanagan writes, “We cannot be what we cannot dream. And sometimes we discover that we live in the dreams and nightmares of others and we dream anew” (236). What is the meaning of this quote? How does it inform the structure of Question 7 and its exploration of Historical Connections Across Space and Time?

Read “In the Penal Colony” [sometimes translated as “In the Penal Settlement”] by Franz Kafka (1919). Compare and contrast its themes to the themes Flanagan explores in Question 7. Do you agree with Flanagan’s interpretation of the story? Why or why not?

Is Flanagan’s view of The Nature of Writing more optimistic or pessimistic? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

What characteristics does Flanagan share with his father and mother? How is he different from them? How does this relate to the notions of the “fourth tense” and cyclical time employed throughout the text?