What makes the novel-in-verse genre so appropriate for Jack’s story? How do the poems enhance the storytelling? Consider what might be lost if it were written in prose.

How does the first-person narrative style affect your understanding of Jack’s character? How do his poems convey his emotions? Give examples from the text.

Explore the significance of sound in the novel and its relationship to poetry. How does Jack’s mother’s deafness affect his views on poetry?