Assignment+Five+-+Fiction+Reading

"A Bill Floyd Christmas” by Tom Perrotta



1. Examine the last scene carefully. A) What is the narrator realizing in that moment? B) In terms of technique, how does Perrotta help us understand what the narrator sees at this moment without ever telling us directly?

2. Talk about the family dynamic. Characterize it, using examples. Be thorough.

3. Discuss the church scene. What details are particularly key in here in helping us understand the conflict and why?

4. How is this story ironic? Discuss all the ways.