Scythe

Discuss how the characters’ perspectives on Scythe Faraday change through the novel. Is Faraday a dynamic character, or do others simply come to a better understanding of him? Cite specific details from the text that support your response.

Why is such emphasis put on using the word “gleaning” instead of the word “killing”? Is it merely a euphemism, or does the word have additional resonance?

Discuss the nature of fame and celebrity in the novel. How do various characters use their celebrity status?

How does the novel characterize the Thunderhead? What potential problems, if any, does the novel identify in an artificial intelligence controlling government and society?

Choose two scythes other than Rowan and Citra and discuss the significance of the names they chose for themselves. What do these names say about them? What do they say about the Scythedom generally?

Compare Rowan’s character arc to Citra’s. To what extent are their different paths a function of their personalities, and to what extent are they a function of the situations in which they find themselves?

How do the scythes’ journal entries contribute to the novel’s worldbuilding? What other functions do they serve?

Discuss the nature of struggle—or the lack of it—in Scythe. How does the novel generate conflict in a world where many traditional sources of conflict no longer exist?