The Last Days of Night

At the beginning of The Last Days of Night, Paul sees himself as a promising prodigy with the opportunity of a lifetime to represent Westinghouse against Edison. How does Paul’s ego evolve as narrative progresses?

Paul uses narrative structure dependent upon the expectation of linear closure to guard against “the terror of raw memory” (6). Does the narrative structure of The Last Days of Night reflect this aim? How does storytelling itself influence the plot

Paul idolizes an America in which “Thomas Edison would fear a smart kid in a basement whose father had harvested enough cotton that his son might harvest volts” (269). How is America’s history of slavery important to the novel?

Why are there so few important women characters in The Last Days of Night? Analyze the concept of female zones versus male zones within the context of the war of the currents.

The Last Days of Night has many descriptions of the historical buildings and neighborhoods of New York City. Explore a metaphorical statement within an architectural or civic description from the text.

How is New York City itself a character in the novel? How does this character change or evolve depending on the other characters’ perspectives?

How is Edison’s system of invention revolutionary?

What does The Last Days of Night say about New York’s class structure? Pick three characters and compare and contrast their differing statuses in terms of class.