Discussion Questions
1. Are you going to the title within the book derive from? The reason why you think Irving chose it? What’s the Avenue of Mysteries so why do imperative that you Juan Diego? Just how can the title match the main styles within the book? Precisely what are a handful of kinds of mysteries within the novel? Could it be ever demystified or described? How do Juan Diego, Lupe, Vargas, but another figures react to and experience mysteries? Would they share a unified perspective?

2. Within the begin with the novel, readers uncover Juan Diego doesn’t have to be known as Mexican American. Why? How much does this reveal about him? Just how can Juan Diego decide to identify themselves?

3. What are “two lives” that Juan Diego states he resided and why he condition he resided them “on parallel tracks”? Where does Juan Diego believe are where he “lived most confidently, combined with best feeling of knowing who he was”?

4. Does Avenue of Mysteries ultimately suggest whether this sort of factor as fate exists? Does Juan Diego’s existence appear to become according to fate, by their particular choices, or by coincidence? How do Lupe’s predictions lead to some dialogue about fate within the novel?

5. Evaluate treating religion and belief within the novel. Think about the discussions of thought that occur between Juan Diego as well as the sister, between Vargas and Eduardo, and between Eduardo and Juan Diego. Which within the figures have religious belief which don’t? What are causes of their belief or lack thereof? What causes Juan Diego to consider that he’d “an ax to grind. with certain social and political policies within the Catholic Church”?

How much does Juan Diego condition that he’d “instead of religion”?

6. Who’s Flor what’s really her relationship to Juan Diego? Just how can Irving illustrate the transgender experience? Just how can Eduardo experience Flor? What can we find out about love and relationships from her interactions with Eduardo?

7. How much does the novel reveal regarding the relationship between fiction and existence story? How much does Juan Diego say is a crucial factor about his novels? Where does Juan Diego the advice for his novels derive from? How much does Juan Diego believe constitutes good writing? Who Juan Diego feel are most likely probably the most useful readers? Are you able to agree? Why or why don’t you?

8. Appraise the portrayal of women within the novel. How much does the novel indicate about gender and womanhood? How much does Lupe’s mind studying reveal about treating women during this society? How do the passages about Guadalupe along with the Virgin Mary lead with this particular dialogue?

9. Juan Diego embarks round the physical journey for that Phillipines, but furthermore, he embarks upon a visit through dreams and memory. Why he put lower on his physical journey together with what occurs him along the way? How’s he altered by these encounters? Does he ever achieve his destination? Another journeys—physical or symbolic—do he but another figures take? How’s it altered?

10. The reason why you think Lupe made the decision to crawl towards the lion’s cage?

Does Juan Diego understand her motives for this? Just how can he be prepared for her dying? Why you believe Lupe ultimately requested to get a Catholic funeral regardless of the feelings she expressed about religion?

11. Miriam and Dorothy appear and vanish using the book. Who’re they? Just how can Juan Diego experience them? Is it possible to condition he trusts them? Why or why don’t you? How do they rival or vary from another female figures within the story?

13. Who’s el gringo bueno? Why he in Mexico? What role does he play in Juan Diego’s existence? How much does Juan Diego promise themselves after speaking with el gringo bueno?

14. Why Lupe reference the statue within the Virgin Mary as “the Mary Monster”? Why she prefer icons representing Guadalupe to folks within the Virgin Mary? How do these icons rival the statue given to her by el gringo bueno? The factor which was your reaction this gift?

15. Irving has pointed out he begins his novels by writing the best sentence. Appraise the final sentence within the book. How will it match while using the major styles within the book? Carrying out a novel, how much does the writer condition that folks want once they die? Are you able to agree?
(Questions within the author .)