The House of the Scorpion

Matt’s existence is a testament to the age-old argument of nature versus nurture. He is constantly faced with opposing choices in his inherited traits and evil impulses as El Patrón’s clone on one hand, and the influence of those who raised him and love him on the other. Given the trajectory of Matt’s character and development, what argument is being made about this issue? Which is more powerful, nature or nurture? Or do they both equally play a part in a person’s development?

Beyond the complex ethical issues that come with advancements such as cloning, the futuristic setting of the novel examines the impact of uncontrolled scientific innovation on society. With the world’s environments and ecosystems destroyed, has there been any real benefit to such advancements to outweigh the harms? In addition, what message is the author trying to get across with the introduction of the Keepers’ seemingly socialist fundamentals and rules?

Religion plays a significant role in the lives of the main characters, providing hope of redemption and an inspiration to be kind and moral. How do different characters relate to and apply religion in their lives? How does religion impact, or not impact, Matt’s life and the belief that as a clone, he is without a soul?

Tam Lin compares El Patrón to a dragon and his hoard. What does this metaphor reveal about El Patrón? What does it reveal about Tam Lin’s moral compass and beliefs?

The Day of the Dead surprises Matt, especially after his experience with El Patrón’s obsession with escaping death. What can Matt learn from this festival, and what impact does the placement of the festival in the narrative have on the story’s larger themes?

The novel concerns itself with the issues of oppression and abuse of power. How are El Patrón and the Keepers similar in their oppression and abuse? How are they different? What message does such a comparison communicate to the reader?

The story is full of highly conflicted characters, including Tam Lin. How is Tam Lin’s story evidence of the ability to change one’s ways for the better? How do his choices as the story progresses work towards atoning for his sins? Could he have made amends for his evils in any other way, as the heartbroken Matt seems to believe?

El Patrón chose to name his family Alacrán, meaning scorpion, after the nickname given to the large numbers of people overpopulating Mexico in his childhood. Taking into consideration the nature of the members of the Alacrán family, what does this name say about them?