The Man In The Black Suit

Throughout the story, the protagonist witnesses events he cannot explain, and he often questions whether he can trust what he sees. To what extent is Gary a reliable narrator? Consider these points as you reflect on the text to answer the question.

• How does present-day Gary justify recording this memory?
• How is Gary convinced of his mother’s death?
• Why does Gary appear to accept his father’s explanation that the whole incident may have been a dream?
• What evidence convinces Gary’s father that there was a malevolent presence near the stream? What are some other possible explanations?
• Why does Gary bring the family Bible to the woods? Beyond its obvious religious significance, what role does the Bible play in Gary’s family?

Teaching Suggestion: The ambiguity surrounding whether Gary actually met the Devil is an important element of the story. Consider reviewing the concept of reliable and unreliable narrators before students begin their discussion. What can make a narrator unreliable? (Examples include youth/naivete, mental illness, and a motivation to be deceitful.) After students finish discussing the questions, you might take a poll of the class to find out how many students believe or do not believe Gary met the Devil in this story. Does the author expect readers to accept the existence of supernatural beings in the setting of the story?