Still Alice

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Alice struggles with maintaining her identity as her disease progresses. How do you define your own identity, and what aspects of yourself would you find most difficult to lose?

2. The novel explores different approaches to dealing with illness within families. Which resonated most with you?

3. Alice initially judges Lydia’s life choices before coming to appreciate different measures of success. Have you ever had to reevaluate your beliefs about what constitutes a “good life”?

4. The novel shows how routine and familiar surroundings help ground Alice. What routines or environments provide you with a sense of security and stability?

Examine the book’s relevance to broader societal issues, cultural trends, and ethical dilemmas.

1. How does the novel challenge society’s perceptions of people with Alzheimer’s disease? What misconceptions does it address?

2. The book raises questions about medical ethics and patient autonomy. How do you feel about Alice’s attempt to plan her future suicide while still cognitively able? What considerations should be weighed in discussions of euthanasia?

3. What does the novel suggest about how society values intelligence and professional achievement versus emotional connections? Where do you see this critique being relevant?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and use of narrative techniques.

1. Analyze the symbolism of Alice’s butterfly pendant. How does its meaning evolve throughout the novel?

2. How does the author use time as both a structural element and thematic device in the novel?

3. Compare and contrast John and Lydia’s approaches to dealing with Alice’s condition. What do their different responses reveal about their characters?

4. Examine how the author uses Alice’s professional expertise in cognitive psychology to add layers of meaning to her experience with Alzheimer’s.

5. How do the changes in Alice’s language skills parallel her loss of identity? What does this suggest about the relationship between communication and selfhood?

6. Consider the role of memory in the novel. How does the author distinguish between different types of memory, and what does this suggest about what constitutes identity?