Invisible Son

Pick two of the Whitaker siblings and compare and contrast how they are treated and respond to their parents, especially in how they think and talk about race. How does the novel explore issues of discrimination and prejudice within families? How do the Whitaker siblings reflect wider social issues and dynamics?

Analyze Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker’s role in the novel. How are they characterized? What is their wider significance in the text?

How does Andre see himself at the end of the novel? How has this changed from the beginning, when he was released from juvenile detention?

How does Andre’s love of music and livestreaming help shape his experiences in the novel? How does he gradually learn to regain his voice, and how does this process reflect the novel’s wider concerns with agency and advocacy within marginalized communities?

How does Marcus reflect some of the issues of the criminal justice system? How does Andre view him both positively and negatively throughout the novel?

What role does the setting of this novel play? How might it have looked different if it had taken place elsewhere in Portland or in the United States?

Choose two characters in the novel aside from Andre and Sierra. What does “home” mean to them? How do they view their home and their relationship with it?

Many of the events in this novel are real. How does bringing in the Black Lives Matter movement shape the story and its key themes and ideas?