Something Happened Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Why are the beginning and ending chapters so short, and those in the middle so lengthy? How does this influence the way readers interpret the text?
  2. What is it about Bob Slocum that makes us love to hate him?
  3. Is there such a thing as a "normal" American family?
  4. How would the work have been different if told from the perspective of Slocum's wife?
  5. Aside from Slocum, his co-workers, and his disabled son Derek, why aren't any of the other characters in the work named?
  6. Is Slocum a reliable narrator? Or does he gradually descend into madness?