The Day of the Jackal

What fundamentals do Lebel and the Jackal share? How do Lebel and the Jackal differ? To what degree do any other characters embody these fundamentals or differences?

Claude Lebel, by his own reckoning, becomes the most powerful police officer in Europe. How does he make use of these newfound powers, and what does his path reveal about his character?

How does the novel explore the issue of tensions between different social classes in the post-World War II world? How does it explore gender in this climate?

To what extent does the historical understanding of Charles de Gaulle and his personality explain why the Jackal’s plan is so nearly effective?

The Day of the Jackal begins with an execution and ends with a burial. How do the deaths of Bastien-Thiry and the Jackal differ? Consider their core characteristics and the attitudes of their enemies at their deaths and burials.

What is the significance of the brief and tragic love affair between Madame la Baronne de la Chalonniére and the Jackal? Can a case be made for any genuine affection on the part of the Jackal, or was she purely a tool?

The Jackal makes use of several different identities over the course of the novel. Which of these identities did he appear the most comfortable in, and what does this potentially reveal about his true identity?

How does the novel present the post-colonial conception of Algeria in the contemporary French mindset? How are those in support of independence and those against it represented, and how does this tie into contemporary conversations about colonialism?