The Idiot

Is Ivan portrayed as a positive or negative character? Why does the psychologist connect his behavior to that of the Unabomber? Do you agree?

Do you think Selin would have had a different college experience if she had started college now as opposed to in 1995? Explain your answer.

Why is the opinion of others so important to Selin in certain situations when she consciously chooses not to conform to social norms in others?

Is Selin’s outer appearance important for the story? Ivan’s? What role do physical bodies play in the novel? 

How does Selin see and articulate the differences between her and Svetlana? What do these differences symbolize in the book?

What is the significance of computers and the Internet for the story? How would the novel look different if it were to take place before the mid-1990s?

What role does Nina in Siberia play in the story?

Why do you think Selin is obsessed with meaning and language? Do you agree with both Selin’s and her mother’s insistence that there must be one “real” meaning or truth in every text they read?