The Leftovers

Why do you think the Guilty Remnant leadership desired to create martyrs for its cause? What purpose could this serve for their movement? How does this fit the post-rapture context of the novel?

Discuss the forms of embodiment that grief takes in The Leftovers.

How does Kevin Garvey’s character act as a mediator between Nora Durst and Laurie Garvey? In what ways are the women the same? In what ways are they different?

Jill and Aimee’s friendship slowly dissolves over the course of the novel, until both part amicably and on different life paths. How does their friendship mimic the stages of grief that the other characters experience after the rapture?

Compare the three teenaged female characters of the novel: Christine, Aimee, and Jill. How does each approach the rapture and the grief that follows it?

How does the Garvey family respond to the rapture? How would their experiences and perspectives be different if a member of their family had disappeared on October 14?

How does Nora’s character cope with the loss of her family through rituals and routines? What constitutes a ritual for the characters in the text, and what are their routines? Is there a difference between these two ideas?

Do you think any character is successful in moving on from grief? Why or why not?