The Bodyguard

Jack has two fake relationships in the novel: one with Hannah and one with Kennedy. What do the dynamics of each relationship reveal about his deeper views on love, and how do those views become evident as he begins to develop a real relationship with Hannah?

Compare Hannah’s relationship with Robby to her relationship with Jack. In what ways does her relationship with Robby serve to re-traumatize her, and how does the relationship with Jack help to heal her past traumas?

Jack is characterized by his ability to act so convincingly that Hannah thinks he has fooled her into believing that he really does love her. Identify instances in which Hannah also uses performance to create a false impression. For whom does she perform, and what are her reasons for doing so? Choose at least two textual examples to support your point.

Though Hannah’s appearance is frequently described as “ordinary,” very little detail about her actual appearance is given aside from her height and the color of her hair. Why do you think Center chooses to omit the details of Hannah’s appearance when other characters like Jack are described more thoroughly?

Both Hannah and Jack have necklaces they wear to comfort them and remind them of the past. Compare and contrast the ways in which their respective necklaces relate to the trauma in their pasts.

In the epilogue it is revealed that Robby got the London job that motivated many of Hannah’s actions in the novel, and Hannah ends up settling down in Houston. What does her acceptance of Robby’s promotion imply about the evolution of Hannah’s character and priorities?

Why is it significant that Center primarily sets The Bodyguard at a version of her own grandparents’ ranch? What does this reveal about how she intended readers to interpret the Stapleton family?

Center mentions in her author’s note that Jack originally was not written as a movie star. What does his career as an actor help illuminate or conceal about Jack’s character? Do you think the novel’s themes regarding performance would have been as prominent if Center had given him a different profession?