Pay It Forward

Who do you perceive as the main character of the novel? Defend your answer using examples from the text.

In the 2000 film adaptation of the novel, two changes are made to the character of Reuben: he is white, and his face was severely burned by his father as a child, instead of mutilated in the Vietnam War. How might these changes affect the progression of the novel, specifically relating to major plot points, themes, and Reuben’s character?

Discuss the structure of the novel—how does its figurative shape echo the novel’s thematic sentiments?