Twinness is an essential component of Dominick’s identity. Examine the relationships between twins throughout the novel—including that of Penny Ann and Ralph Drinkwater and Concettina Tempesta Birdsey and her stillborn brother. What impact does being a twin have on both self-identity and how the individual is viewed by others? What symbolism is present in the motif of the death of a twin sibling, and how does being “untwinned” change the living twin’s identity?

Several characters undergo growth over the course of the novel. Make an argument for which character—other than the narrator and protagonist, Dominick—experiences the most dramatic change. What circumstances bring about this change?

“Survival of the fittest” is a refrain that Dominick makes frequently. What does he mean by this? To whom does this phrase apply, and what does such survival look like? What other values conflict with this one in Dominick’s mind?