Discussion Questions for The Celebrity
By Robert Elmer
- What were the things that drew Jamie Lane to fame in the first place? What were the things that caused him to be repulsed?
- Do you ever wish you could be someone else? What? Why?
- Why was it important to Jamie that he run away? Do you think that he planned to be gone for an extended period of time all along?
- Anne knew Isaiah 43:18-19 by heart. Even so, she remained frustrated about her past. What did it take for her to finally forget? Or did she ever grow past her pain?
- How do you move on from the past?
- Anne always defined her “accident” as a “crash” Why did she do this and in what ways do you do the same redefining in your life?
- Anne’s father had an underlying faith amidst struggle. Because of this, sometimes he seems not to totally understand his daughter, and she accuses him of answering her with “smug one-liners.” Do you think his responses to her were legitimate, or how should he have responded to her differently?
- The monks at the abbey are described as “breathing in the words as if they had just survived near-drowning.” Have you ever experienced such desire for God’s word? Describe your experience.
- Anne is continually struggling with her “yo-yo anger.” Is this anger normal? Is she justified in having this anger? Why or why not?
- Anne describes Jamie as “the only person I know who doesn’t compare me to who I used to be.” This comment echoes throughout the novel. Why is this knowledge so refreshing to the characters in the book? Use examples from the book.
- Father Greg knew Jamie’s identity all along. Was he justified or not in keeping all that he knew a secret, even when he knew Jamie was lying to all the townsfolk?
- Are Jamie’s actions of cover-up justified for any reason? If not, how did he justify them in his mind?
- What do you do to cover up your identity? Why do you do this?
- Anne often did not share her story with others. Jamie never shared his story. They did this for different reasons. What were they?