Skippy Dies

Skippy and Ruprecht belong to a colorful group of friends who comment on the comings and goings at Seabrook College. Define the classical concept of the Greek chorus and discuss how these characters serve this function in the story.

Howard uses a lesson on the cultural response to World War I to connect to his students’ communal grief over the loss of Skippy. Look into your own local history for events that upended the social order of your community and discuss the community’s cultural response to that event.

Ruprecht espouses his belief in science to a somewhat religious degree. What is Murray trying to say about the similarities between science and faith? How might science be limited in its ability to explain the universe?

What does it mean for Carl and Lori’s relationship that Lori tries to reach out to him at the end of the novel? How will her friendship with Ruprecht affect the way they engage with each other?

At one point, Professor Hideo Tamashi talks about the way his personal life allowed him to reach breakthroughs in his research. Research another scientist and identify how their personal life might have enabled them to reach breakthroughs in their work.

Murray takes inspiration from the Irish novelist James Joyce, who often alludes to classical Greek literature in his work. Research the final chapters of Homer’s The Iliad, paying attention to personal and communal grief and interactions with the spirit world. Discuss the parallels between this story and the characters and events at the ending of Skippy Dies.

Howard points out that history is often revised depending on who is telling the story. How does this subjective view of history relate to the novel’s themes and exploration of Skippy’s life?

Skippy, among other characters, relies on drugs to escape the anxiety he feels about his life, despite the different avenues offered to him to engage with this anxiety in healthier ways (i.e., counseling, sports). How else might Skippy have dealt with his anxiety?