47 pages 1 hour read

Erik Larson

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing Of The Lusitania

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2015

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

After the Lusitania’s destruction, the British Admiralty claims that Captain Turner is culpable for the ship’s sinking. Do you believe that Captain Turner is responsible for the Lusitania’s destruction? Why or why not? Use specific examples from the text to support your argument.

2.

Erik Larson structures his narrative in short sections, each describing events in a different setting. Why does Larson structure the narrative in this way? How does it help him to narrate the story of the Lusitania?

3.

At the end of the book, Larson suggests that the British Admiralty may have intentionally left the Lusitania unprotected, hoping that an attack on the ship would push the United States to enter the war. Do you agree with Larson’s argument? What evidence in the book supports or disputes this claim?

Related Titles

By Erik Larson

Study Guide

logo

In the Garden of Beasts

Erik Larson

In the Garden of Beasts

Erik Larson

Study Guide

logo

The Demon of Unrest

Erik Larson

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War

Erik Larson

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE

logo

The Devil in the White City

Erik Larson

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America

Erik Larson

Study Guide

logo

The Splendid and the Vile

Erik Larson

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz

Erik Larson

Study Guide

logo

Thunderstruck

Erik Larson

Thunderstruck

Erik Larson