Five Survive

Why do Maddy, Simon, and Reyna stay silent about Arthur’s involvement in the active shooter scene or not reveal who he is to the police?

Based on textual evidence, predict how Red will respond to Arthur’s letter. Is reuniting with him compatible with her character growth? Why or why not?

Of the six characters, why does Oliver die? How does his death relate to the themes? If someone else died—such as Maddy from her bullet wound—would it be the same?

How effective is the setting? How does it contribute to the atmosphere of the novel? Does the setting follow the rules of detective and mystery fiction?

Holly Jackson uses a number of literary devices in Five Survive, such as flashbacks, metaphors, figurative language, and repetition. Choose a literary device and trace its use in the text. How does it reinforce the text’s themes?

What role do secrets and betrayal play in Five Survive? If the characters had no secrets, how would the story have played out?

Red is a morally ambiguous protagonist, and most of the characters do good and bad things. How does this affect the story?

How do power dynamics between characters change as the novel progresses? How does power affect friendships and relationships?