Answer the following questions:
1. Who is Zits; what has happened to him and his parent?
2. What is Zits’ portrayal of foster parents? See p. 8. Do you agree with him? Explain.
3. Why does Zits end up in jail?
4. What is Zits like? Describe him? Do you find him to be sympathetic/unsympathetic/ambiguous? Explain.
5. What is Zits’ relationship with Dave the cop? Why is it that way?
6. What is the White boy’s name, and why is his name significant? Why does Zits like him? What do you think of him?
7. What do you think happens after the bank scene?
8. Who is Hank Storm, and what is his relationship to Zits both literally and figuratively?
9. How can each character Zits embodies be seen as a foil for Zits? In other words, how is each character different from/the same as Zits, and what does each character teach Zits about himself?
Hank Storm
Mute Indian Boy
Gus (Irish Indian tracker)
Jimmy (pilot)
Zits’ father
10. Flight can be seen as a quest narrative, which usually suggests the main character returns from his character somehow transformed from his experiences. In what ways is Zits transformed by his sci-fi quest?
11. As we’ve pointed out, a major theme of this novel is identity. At the beginning, Zits does not know who he is. Does he find himself at the end? If so, how? What do you make of this ending? Is it too easy? Why does Alexie choose to end the book in this way?
12. What elements of the novel draw from Native American cultural traditions? Explain.
13. How does the Sci Fi genre allow Alexie to get his message across? What is his message?
