The Princess Bride Theme of Family

Next to love, family is probably the biggest theme in this book. The whole reason faux-William Goldman even bothered writing this book was to make sure that his son Jason would have the same wonderful experience of The Princess Bride that he (Goldman) did when he was a ten-year-old boy. And let's not forget that Inigo Montoya's whole reason for living is to avenge the death of his father Domingo.

Yup, family is definitely a high priority in this book, and definitely a good motivation for characters to do some pretty crazy things—like dedicate their entire lives to becoming a good sword fighter, or rewriting their favorite childhood story.

Questions About Family

  1. What do you think of William Goldman's relationship with his son Jason? Is it healthy, or does Goldman mostly come across as a jerk?
  2. Why does Inigo spend his life looking for the six-fingered man? What do you think he'll do once he has killed this man?
  3. Are there any moments of true family tenderness for William Goldman in this novel? If so, where are they?