Ordinary People

Guest employs the use of a third-person point of view to tell the story but alternates between Conrad and Cal’s perspectives. How does this technique emphasize the theme of family and identity in the novel?

What stance does Ordinary People take on mental health and society’s relationship to it? In what ways has society’s relationship with mental health changed since the publication of this novel? In what ways has it stayed the same?

Compare and contrast Beth and Conrad, including their grieving processes and their relationships with Cal.