Blankets

How is Craig held back by the negative experiences of his childhood and how does being with Raina help him overcome his trauma?

Many of the events, emotions, and character traits in the novel are drawn rather than written about. How do the images enhance and supplement the reader’s understanding of the characters and the events of Craig’s adolescence?

Why is religion the source of the central conflict within Craig and how do his views on Christianity and religion change throughout the course of his youth and early adulthood?

Was Craig and Raina’s relationship always destined to be short-lived? Why or why not?

No matter where Craig goes or how his values change, he always returns to his family home eventually, and doing so brings up old feelings and memories each time. What does this cycle say about Craig as a person and how his childhood will follow him throughout his life?

Craig Thompson chose to title his work “Blankets.” What are the multiple meanings and references behind this motif choice?

Raina and Craig both come from Christian families, but they each have a dramatically different dynamic. Compare and contrast their families, noting how these differences and similarities are reflected in Craig and Raina themselves.

How does sex both hinder and help Craig’s emotional and social development as a child and as a teenager?