67 pages • 2 hours read
The Book of Delights
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Essay Topics
How does Gay describe the purpose of The Book of Delights? Would you say he accomplishes this purpose?
Describe Gay’s relationship with his father and how that relationship has shaped who Gay is as a Black man in America.
Which essays focus most intently on Gay’s experience as a Black man in the United States? What commonalities can you find in these essays?
Why do you think Gay is so focused on death and how it impacts the way people live their lives?
How does Gay explain the relationship between joy and grief in “Joy is Such a Human Madness”?
How do gardens symbolize the way Gay thinks about life?
How does Gay’s relationship with his mother as an adult influence how he thinks about his childhood?
How does the intolerable make life worthwhile? How does grief highlight the value of joy? Use examples from the book to support your explanation.
How does Gay use examples of people acting kind and loving to one another as proof of the inherent goodness in humanity?
Why does Gay believe popular media tries to conflate suffering and Blackness? Do you see any examples of this in TV shows, movies, books, or music that you’ve consumed? How does Gay’s approach challenge typical depictions of Blackness?
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By Ross Gay
