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Readers > Talk it Up! > Discussion guides > 2012 Oregon Reader's Choice Award Nominees > Tales of the Madman Underground

Tales of the Madman Underground by John Barnes

Discussion guide by Deborah Gitlitz

Summary

In September 1973, as the school year begins in his depressed Ohio town, high-school senior Kurt Shoemaker determines to be "normal," despite his chaotic home life with his volatile, alcoholic mother and the deep loyalty and affection he has for his friends in the therapy group they call the Madman Underground. Hilarious, heartbreaking, uncensored, and hopeful.

Booktalk

Karl Shoemaker has decided that this is his year to be normal. For the first time since fourth grade, when his dad died, Karl's going to avoid being put in the school therapy group -- the Madman Underground -- with all his friends. But normal, for Karl, won't be easy to achieve. His dead dad was once the mayor; his mom is a hippie alcoholic conspiracy theorist who steals Karl's money to go on benders; his house is overrun with feral cats; and his best friends all have serious problems. Plus, the other Madmen's parents are mostly worse than his mom -- most of them are drunk, abusive or nuts -- so Karl and his friends help each other out with food, money and a safe place to sleep. And, when necessary, revenge.

532 pages, 9th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. What did you enjoy about this book?
  2. How did you feel about Karl Shoemaker?
  3. Besides Karl, who was your favorite character? What did you appreciate about him/her?
  4. Karl says he wants to be normal. What does he mean by normal? What do you think he wants when he says he wants to be normal?
  5. Sometimes what Karl says and how he acts can be different. For example, Karl says he “hates” the cats, but how does he treat them? Why is that? Can you think of other times Karl’s actions are different from what he says?
  6. How does Karl feel about his mom? What are the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship?
  7. What is the role of money in Karl’s life?
  8. At the end of chapter 13, Karl discovers his mom has taken the twenty out of his pants pockets. He’s furious that his mom stole his money but also talks about how it's his own fault. Why does he blame himself?
  9. Karl says he doesn’t understand why his mom and Browning believe in "hollering and putting up a fight and standing up for stuff." (p. 191) He says it's embarrassing and wishes everyone would "just shut up and be normal." (He has the same complaint about Gratz on p. 322.) What does Karl believe in? Does Karl stand up for what he believes in? When does he and when doesn't he? Why and why not?
  10. What are the most important relationships in this book?
  11. What are the guiding morals/ethics of Karl's group of friends? Would you say they are ethical people? Why or why not?
  12. What roles do adults play in Karl's life?
  13. What did you think of John Barnes's style of writing in this book?
  14. If you had to give this book a moral, what would it be?
  15. At the end of the book, do you feel hope for the characters?

If you liked this book, try

Karl's Rule

You have to love any girl that cracks you up.