Chapter 54: “Lost in the Library”

"The Absinthe Drinker" (1876) by Edgar Degas

What do you make of the claim that we cannot ever run out of possibilities, but we can run out of wanting them?

Have you ever been "lost in your lostness" the way that Nora is (218)?

What does Nora see in this chapter that she couldn't see before that helps her accept Mrs. Elm’s advice that “you don't have to understand life, you just have to live it” (218)?

When might such advice be problematic?

Chapter 57: “The Perfect Life”

"The Arnolfini Wedding" (1434) by Jan van Eyck

Do you think the life described in this chapter is perfect, and if not, why title the chapter this way?

Chapter 61: “No Longer Here”

"The Infinite Recognition" (1963) by Rene Magritte

What does Nora learn when she goes to visit the Oak Leaf Residential Care Home?

What does this information do for her and for you, the reader?

If you could meet with someone you haven't seen in years and you could tell them something important that they might not have realized, whom would it be and what would you tell them?

Chapter 62: “An Incident with the Police”

Who is involved in the "incident with the police" referred to in the title, and what insight (truth) does it reinforce?  What does it show about Nora?

Can you think of anyone who has unknowingly played a more important role in your life than they may have realized?

Ch. 63: "A New Way of Seeing"

Above: The statue of prison reformer John Howard in St. Paul's square in New Befordshire

What important small thing does Nora come to realize in this chapter about looking and seeing? Can you think of examples from your own experience that illustrate this point?

As an exercise: spend time trying to "see" something or "hear" something that you normally take for granted. It might be the music by Chopin in the video on the previous post. It might be the view from the window you are sitting by. It might be the eyes of someone you care about. It might be the park you walk through every day. After you've done this, write about the experience in the comments section.

Chapter 69: “The Things I Have Learned”

"I Can See the Whole World and There's Nothing in It" (1961) by Roy Liechtenstein

Have you ever felt like nobody? Are there advantages that come from this?

The point of view in most of this novel is third person. Nora does not tell us her story from the first person (I); we hear about her predominantly in the third person (Nora). What do you make of the change in point of view (to first person) and the change in font in the chapter titled "The Things I Have Learned"? How do they affect the reader's experience of the novel?

The Midnight Library Takeaway

So you've read The Midnight Library now. In 100 words or less, identify the part of the book that is most likely to stick with you the longest. What's your take away?

Don't answer this question until you've finished reading the entire book. Claiming to have read the book without having done so would be dishonorable. Far better to take a late penalty than to sacrifice your integrity for a grade. Owning your life choices can be the first step to enlightenment.