Voorheesville Public Library

QUESTIONS

The action in the novel is described through various points of view. Why does the author choose these points of view?
Who is the first person narrator of the novel? What kind of narrator is he? Why does Kushner have him look back and relate events that took place when he was a child instead of have him tell about the events as they happen?
Why does Del, a privileged American boy, join the rebels in the mountains?
How are class and social differences depicted? How do the descriptions of various social groups contribute to painting a picture of all of Cuban society?
What notions/prejudices about racial purity and about each other do the different ethnic groups have?
There are many journeys in the book. Trace as many of them as you can. What are their outcomes? What do they mean?
Look for descriptions of Cuba as a tropical paradise? What are examples of the bounteousness of nature?
How is nature at times menacing? What dangers and hideous things lurk beneath the island’s beauty?
What images of decay can you find?
How do people deform nature?
How does the author use colors, and what is their symbolism?
Which characters are not who they pretend to be? How do they “reinvent” themselves and why?
The main American characters are all part of family groups. How would you describe the families? Are any of them happy? Why are they in Cuba? How do their experiences on the island change or influence them?
Why does the author begin and end the novel with Everly’s account?
What is the significance of the Tropic of Capricorn crossings?
Kushner said “I set out to write a political novel.” How well does Telex… succeed as a political novel? Is it more than a political novel? How else could it be described?
What does K.C.’s last statement, “You don’t call the dead. The dead call you.” (p. 317) mean?

Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)


	Telex from Cuba by Rachel Kushner
	QUESTIONS The action in the novel is described through various points of view. Why does the author choose these points of view? Who is the first person narrator of the novel? What kind of narrator is he? Why does Kushner have him look back and relate events that took place when he was a child instead of have him tell about the events as they happen? Why does Del, a privileged American boy, join the rebels in the mountains? How are class and social differences depicted? How do the descriptions of various social groups contribute to painting a picture of all of Cuban society? What notions/prejudices about racial purity and about each other do the different ethnic groups have? There are many journeys in the book. Trace as many of them as you can. What are their outcomes? What do they mean? Look for descriptions of Cuba as a tropical paradise? What are examples of the bounteousness of nature? How is nature at times menacing? What dangers and hideous things lurk beneath the island’s beauty? What images of decay can you find? How do people deform nature? How does the author use colors, and what is their symbolism? Which characters are not who they pretend to be? How do they “reinvent” themselves and why? The main American characters are all part of family groups. How would you describe the families? Are any of them happy? Why are they in Cuba? How do their experiences on the island change or influence them? Why does the author begin and end the novel with Everly’s account? What is the significance of the Tropic of Capricorn crossings? Kushner said “I set out to write a political novel.” How well does Telex… succeed as a political novel? Is it more than a political novel? How else could it be described? What does K.C.’s last statement, “You don’t call the dead. The dead call you.” (p. 317) mean? Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)