The dynamics of the Farmer family are really interesting. On the one hand, you've got parents who lied to their son for most of his life and a son who took to spying on his parents. On the other hand, you've got a family so loving that each member would do anything to protect the others. There have been many books written about orphans, but usually we know right from the beginning that the main character has lost his parents. In I Am the Cheese we think we are reading about the son of a loving family; only at the very end do we learn that his family is gone.
Questions About Family
- How is Adam's relationship with his mom different from his relationship with his dad?
- How would the story be different if Adam had a sibling?
- In what scenes do the Farmers seem the most like a normal family? Why?
- What role does Adam's Aunt Martha serve in the book?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Adam is most like his mother.
Adam is most like his father.