76 pages • 2 hours read
Harlan CobenNo Second Chance
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2003A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Marc and Lenny begin the novel as lifelong best friends and are estranged by the end of the novel, even though Lenny still sends Tara/Tasha a birthday present. What does the present represent, and why does Marc place it out of reach of his daughter in a closet?
How is Marc’s loss of situational control demonstrated through formal elements in the novel? Pay close attention to narrative perspective.
How does the reader’s perception of Monica shift as the narrative reveals more about her secret life and eventually reveals that she shot Marc? Is she a villain, a victim, or both?
Who is the primary antagonist of the novel and why? Is it Lydia, because of her aggressive attempts to kill Marc? Is it Bacard for coming up with the adoption scheme and hiring Lydia? Is it Lenny for feeding information to Bacard and betraying Marc, since Marc trusts Lenny completely?
Marc leans on his skill at compartmentalizing his emotions often throughout the novel. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Is there a better way for Marc to handle emotionally sensitive conversations, or is he correct to push away extraneous emotions and focus solely on the task at hand?
Marc has a dream on Page 48 in Chapter 6 that appears to foreshadow how his story will end. How accurate is this dream? What are the key differences from the dream to what is depicted in the Epilogue and why?
Lydia correctly predicts that she will be able to escape justice and ends up on Oprah, crying about her treatment at Heshy’s hands. What does the lack of consequences for Lydia say about celebrity and justice?
Does Cheryl know about Lenny’s actions in defense of their family? Are there contextual clues indicating that she is worried about their family herself? Or does she appear oblivious to potential involvement in Marc’s case?
Does Marc bear culpability for Tatiana’s death? Why or why not?
How do the actions of various parents affect their children’s wellbeing over the course of the novel? For example, Lenny’s willingness to kill Bacard to protect his family means it is unlikely his children will ever be exposed to the crimes Lenny committed. Is this good parenting? What about the Tansmores’ willingness to give back Tara? Does their willingness to give up their child mean they are bad parents, despite their moral considerations? Discuss how the role of parents recalls Marc’s admission that he would kill for Tara at the beginning of the novel.
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By Harlan Coben
