Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- What would the gestalt be like if the main characters were comfortable, happy people instead of lonely, strange individuals with special talents?
- The story is not told in chronological order. What effect would it have if the book were told that way? Does the order Sturgeon tells the story make more sense? How so or why not?
- Influential sci-fi editors who had shaped the genre by the time this novel was written considered psionic powers, such as telepathy, to be within the domain of science. Do you see such powers as science subject matter or more as fantasy-fiction material?
- Sturgeon is often praised for his lyrical, poetic style. How does his style help or hurt the book? For example, do the frequent metaphors and flowery language enhance the themes or distract from them?
- How might the gestalt have matured if Lone had been intelligent enough to serve as its head?
- Janie is a strong character who plays a big role in helping the gestalt mature. What if she'd been the head of it in the first place? Should Sturgeon, a male author, have given her or other female characters bigger roles in this book?
- Bonnie and Beanie were among the first significant black characters to appear in U.S. science fiction. Does More Than Human treat ethnic minorities well, or is it stuck in the past?
- Rock musicians, including Phil Lesh and David Crosby, have cited this book as an influence. How might this book impact musicians of any genre? Consider musicians from the past or present—or try to predict how future musicians might respond.
- What examples of "bleshing" can you find in your own experience as a member of any group?
- Humanity at the end of the novel is described as a society whose individuals have unique stature or rank, yet who all simultaneously have equivalent amplitude for their voices. How might such a society be achieved?