The Hunger

The Hunger is inspired by a well-known historical event. Did this history affect your reading of the novel? What perceptions did you have of the Donner Party before? Have they changed?

Hunger is shown in many different ways throughout the novel. What are the various meanings of “hunger” and what is the importance of the title? In what ways does the title mean something beyond the hunger for food?

Discuss the impact of fear and paranoia on the relationships within the party. What does The Hunger show us about “mob mentality”? How do group dynamics affect the group’s ultimate fate?

Many of the characters, particularly the narrators, are inhabited by both “good” and “evil.” Discuss the complicated ways in which The Hunger depicts morality. Which moral struggles resonated with you? Which did you find more difficult to accept?

In what ways were the narrators of the novel haunted by their past? How does the past influence their decisions during their fateful trip? How did your knowledge of their backstories affect how you perceived their actions?

In the book, female characters inhabit varied roles—wives, mothers, daughters, witches, temptresses, and survivors. Discuss the different ways in which women are portrayed, particularly Tamsen and Mary.

What did you find to be the most frightening moment of the novel?

Stanton’s grandfather told him that “evil was invisible, and it was everywhere.” How does evil begin to spread within the group, both literally and figuratively? What does the novel show us about the dark side of human nature?

What genre do you think The Hunger falls into? Literary fiction? Horror? Historical?

Why do we continue to be fascinated by the Donner Party? Are there any lessons that we can take from their story?

Discuss the various portrayals of destiny in The Hunger, as it relates to Western expansion and Manifest Destiny and to the idea of personal choice. Do you believe that the characters have predetermined fates? Can they control the paths their lives take?