Everyone has a different definition of love, and Postcard's from No Man's Land offers a nice sampling of different perspectives. Love here is seen as a truly powerful, unstoppable force of nature for Geertrui and Jacob—it's the only constant in a tumultuous and confusing world, and it's a guiding star for all of us who are lost out there. But this view seems a little idealized to the younger Jacob and his dad, and then we've got the cynics like Daan and Ton who think love is here for a minute, and gone the next—so enjoy it while it lasts, because it won't last long.
Questions About Love and Sex
- Whose definition of love do you agree with the most—Daan's, Ton's, Jacob's, or Geertrui's? Why?
- Does the book ever come down on one side with how love is supposed to be? Why do you think this is? Why is love so hard to define?
- Why does Jacob deny his sexual attraction to Ton? Given that he likes both Ton and Hille by the end of the book, does his definition of love change after spending time with Daan?
- Do you think it's okay for Jacob and Geertrui to be together when he's married to Sarah? Why or why not? Does the fact that a war is happening change anything?
- Postcards from No Man's Land asks us to think about how marriage is an outdated institution because love doesn't work like that anymore. How does Geertrui and Jacob's relationship relate to this idea? Do you think Daan is right that marriage is no longer needed?
Chew on This
Although Jacob is married, his love for Geertrui is an all-consuming force to be reckoned with that he cannot help but feel.
Daan's view that marriage is outdated might be true for him, but that doesn't mean marriage itself is the problem.