Discussion Questions
1. Why does it mean so much for the father who is dying to ask his son these questions, which he knows his son will not be able to think about until many years later? Do you think it is because he cares for the son, to make him think about the big questions in life, and maybe even to enrich his life / improve his quality of life?
2. Do you think it is a problem that Georg is not presented as a whole person? Only his family life is presented, with a few "side trips to school, his teacher, his piano lessons. It makes the book "narrow," in focus. In France, this is called "a theory novel"—a book that sets out to prove a theory, rather than present a whole picture. Do you think it is a limitation? Does it detract from the beauty of the book? Or the wisdom?
3. Working with students: Allow students to familiarize themselves with the following elements from the book: the Hubble telescope, the United Nations, falling in love, Oslo and Norway, the Frognerpark (contains the Vigeland sculpture park), writing a will, their recollections (if any) from when they were three years of age. Also introduce them to the Beethoven's Moonlight sonata.
4. Is the the white pigeon (dove?) which Jan Olav and Veronika see in Spain a premonition of his death? Does Jan himself think so?
5. How does the Hubble telescope function as a metaphor? Does it imply that readers can see everything? Or the narrator can see everything?
6. What would it would be like to get a personal letter from someone who died a long time ago? How do you think the father felt realizing he would not be with his son much longer?
- when did his dad write the letter, and why do you think he did so?
- Why do you think the letter was put in the old cart/pram
- why wasn't it given to Georg's mother so she could give it to him when he was old enough?
7. What do you think is happening between the orange girl and Georg's father?
- Is Georg’s father really that good at reading signs?
- Do you know what scurvy is?
- How many theories does Georg's father have about the orange girl’s use for the oranges? Which do you think is the most realistic? Do you have any theories?
8. Which feelings form the basis for the father’s description of the orange girl and the man in the Toyota?
9. Has this book expanded your knowledge about space?
10. What do these words by Piet Hein mean? “If you don’t live now, you will never live. What do you do?” An alternative translation would be: "Living is a thing you do now or never. Which do you?
11. Where do oranges originate? Do you know any typical "fairy tale rules"?
12. What does Georg's father mean when he talks about the people in the square are like living treasure chests of thoughts and memories. He also says that he himself is in the heart of his own life on earth, as are others. What does he mean?
13. What is the point of The Orange Girl? What is it trying to say? Recall Georg's father's question: has Georg given his answer by the end of the book?
(Questions developed by Linda Johnsen, a librarian in Norway, and sent to us by Conrad, a long-term LitLovers friend. Thanks to both Linda and Conrad.)