The Flamethrowers

The Flamethrowers
by Rachel Kushner

Discussion Questions

1.  What are some of the art world tropes that are showcased in the book?

2.  On page 3, the narrator says, "Speed doesn't have to be an issue of time."  What does she mean by this statement?  How is this belief revealed throughout the book?

3.  On page 8, the narrator says, "It was an irony but a fact that a person had to move to New York City first, to become an artist of the West."  Which artists is she referring to?  Do you agree with this statement in the context of the time frame in which it was spoken?  What about 10 years ago?  What about now?

4.  A salient theme of the book is life as a performance.  List some examples of the theme.

5.  On page 272, the narrator talks about the difference between Italian and American graffiti.  What does she assess makes them different?  Why?

6.  On page 364, the narrator says, "Making art was really about the problem of the soul, of losing it.  It was a technique for inhabiting the world.  For not dissolving into it."  How does the artwork mentioned in the book align with this description?

7.  Kushner deals with gender roles in many ways throughout the book.  Discuss the various gendered situations and how they compare to the current day.