73 pages • 2 hours read
David GrannKillers of the Flower Moon
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2017A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Essay Topics
Compare the history of white settlers pushing the Osage tribe further west to the forced Cherokee migration now known as the “Trail of Tears.” How are these cases similar? How are they different?
How did the Bureau’s approach to the Osage Reign of Terrors Grann work to overturn public opposition to a national police force?
Consider the influence of Prohibition on the economic factors surrounding the Osage Reign of Terror. How did the culture of criminality that Prohibition developed intersect with what happened to the Osage people?
Discuss Grann’s approach to describing Osage traditions and culture. Where in the book does he focus on Osage rites and how does he use these descriptions to support his larger points?
How do racist views of Indigenous North Americans explain why institutions failed the Osage Nation during the Reign of Terror?
Did gender play a role in the history Grann describes? If so, how? If not, why not?
Examine Grann’s interest in detective fiction and the ways in which he chronicles the investigations of Tom White and his own research. Which fiction tropes does Grann use in his storytelling? How do they affect the reader’s experience?
What different kinds of evidence does the book marshal to make its case? How does Grann’s use of primary and secondary materials support his arguments?
Discuss the book’s ending. Does Grann leave readers on an optimistic note? Why or why not?
Consider the idea of generational trauma in the book. What lasting effects did the Osage murders have on individuals, families, and the community?
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