The Great Brain Questions

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

  1. The Great Brain is episodic, meaning that instead of a novel with one long narrative arc, we get a series of chapters that each details one of the Great Brain's schemes. How does the structure affect how we interpret Tom's actions?
  2. What do you think of eight-year-old John D. as a narrator? Is he reliable? Can we trust his interpretation of events?
  3. How might the story read differently if Tom D. narrated his own actions?
  4. Is it important that the Great Brain is a child? How would this book be different if the Great Brain were an adult?
  5. How does the community of Adenville function as a character?