Describe Socrates’s view of the human mind. How does it contrast the idea of the body? How does Socrates’s philosophy of the mind contribute to Dan’s transformation? Support your answer with examples from the text.

The relationship between the protagonist and his mentor is also a relationship between two men. How does this factor influence the idea of spiritual discovery? What are the larger implications of the male point of view in the narrative? Discuss Dan’s journey of spiritual discovery from the perspective of his gender.

What does the text reveal about the nature of knowledge and its relation to the human mind? What is Socrates’s philosophy on human knowledge, and how does it affect his character? Consider Plato’s allegory of the cave for your response.