No-No Boy

The book features numerous examples of immigrant parents and first generation children. In what ways do these families connect or fail to connect and why? 

Racism is a recurring theme in the novel. How do characters explain and react to this problem?

Addiction plagues some of the characters, especially Ichiro’s father and Freddie. What fuels their addiction? Why is Freddie done in by his addiction whereas Ichiro’s father seems as though he might recover?

The novel ends with a relatively open resolution. Why do you think the author chose this conclusion instead of a more neatly resolved one?

Does the book have a clear antagonist? Who or what might that antagonist be?

Is there a turning point in Ichiro’s development as a character? What moment or incident sets him on the road towards accepting himself and his surroundings?

Do the white American characters view their country in the same way? Do they envision the same future for Ichiro? For America?

What role does sexual intimacy play in the book?