1. Why Does the Woman Let the Cat Go?

CHILD 44 Name:______

25 Jan 1933

1. Why does the woman let the cat go?

2. What happens to Pavel and why?

3. Why tell the story from Andrei’s point of view?

11 Feb 1953 – 20 Years Later

1. Why does Arkady want to win?

2. Why does he lose?

14 Feb

1. Who has died?

2. Why must Leo meet with the family?

3. How did Leo get his job?

4. Does Leo like his job? 5. How does Leo convince the family to abandon the charge of murder?

6. Who think they are to blame for the death and why?

7. Compare why Mikhail and Anatoly feel guilty.

8. Why must they presume guilt?

9. When did Brodsky escape?

10.How does having to prove you are innocent cause people to react?

11.How would you prove you are innocent?

12.How do Leo’s notes inspire the neighbor lady to talk?

13.What leads does Leo have and why does he think one is more accurate? CHILD 44 Name:______

15 Feb

1. Why is Leo motivated to go to Kimov himself?

2. Leo has talked twice about failure. What happens if he fails?

3. Would this motivate you to succeed? Why or why not?

4. How does Leo describe his deputy?

5. Why does Leo take over driving?

6. What has Leo been prescribed and what are the effects?

7. Why does Leo think his men’s allegiances might be turning away to Vasili?

8. Why does Brodsky stop running?

9. What choice does Brodsky make?

10.Why does Leo think Brodsky made this choice?

11.How does Leo react to Brodsky’s decision? 12.What happens back at the farm house?

13.How could Leo have prevented it?

16 FEB

1. How is the building characterized?

2. What sustains Leo’s job?

3. What one law guides Leo and what effect does it’s vague quality have on people?

4. How is Kuzmin described?

5. Which matter does Leo’s boss consider more important and why?

6. How are the cells and the torture justified?

7. How does Leo justify it?

8. What does Brodsky say made him run?

9. Why does Brodsky say Leo hates his country?

10.How do they interrogate Brodsky?

11.What do they learn? CHILD 44 Name:______

17 FEB

1. Why is Dr. Zarubin visiting Leo?

2. What does Zarubin’s behavior with Leo’s wife tell us about Zarubin?

3. What is Dr. Zarubin’s plan concerning Leo and Raisa?

4. How does Raisa respond?

5. What does Raisa think she should have done?

6. What do you think Raisa should have done?

7. Describe Leo’s dream?

8. What surprise does Major Kuzmin bring and why?

19 FEB

1. Who does Kuzmin want Leo to investigate and why? 2. Why does Raisa learn student’s names?

3. Why does she stop using student’s names?

4. Who is Raisa’s only friend and why is it an unusual friendship?

5. Why did Leo investigate his wife before?

6. Why must Leo investigate his wife now?

7. Where does Leo wind up?

8. What news does Raisa have? Does it change what Leo should do?

9. What does Leo do this day?

10.Why does Vasili show up?

11.What does Fyodor have to say to Leo?

12.Do you agree with him?

13.What does Leo find while putting the apartment back together? CHILD 44 Name:______

21 FEB

1. What does Leo presume is going on?

2. What does Leo reply?

3. What are Leo’s results on his wife?

13 MAR

1. Why does Ilinaya want extra money? How does she earn it?

2. What does the man offer?

3. Where does the man take her?

4. What stops the man from killing her?

14 MAR

1. What is 4am called? 2. What are Leo and Raisa ordered to do?

3. Why are they lucky?

4. What is Raisa’s answer to Leo’s explanation?

5. What happened a week into their confinement? How might it save them?

6. According to Leo, why did people make the political decisions they did?

7. Why had Raisa been distant years ago when Leo had followed her?

8. What lie did Raisa tell and why?

9. Do you think Raise loves Leo?

10.Does Leo love Raisa? CHILD 44 Name:______

15 MAR

1. What does Varlam seek?

2. What did his parents do to him?

3. What has Varlam stolen and why?

16 MAR

1. Where has Leo been reassigned?

2. Why does Raisa think Leo is suddenly sentimental?

3. What is the reality for Raisa about their relationship?

4. Why does Leo think the General met them at the train station?

5. What does the General know about Leo?

6. Where are Leo and Raisa to stay?

7. What did Vasili want?

8. Would you have given it to him? 17 MAR

1. Why might Raisa relish Leo’s demotion?

2. What did Leo do when his wife came to him? What was her reaction?

3. How does Leo compare and contrast himself with Vasili?

4. How does Leo feel about his actions towards his wife?

5. What does Leo realize about his own relationship with his wife?

6. What is Leo’s first case?

7. Describe the victim.

8. Describe the family’s feelings towards the case.

9. Why is the case considered closed?

10.Who is the suspect?

11.Why did he do it?

12.What does Leo find when he gets home?

13.What does Leo say to Raisa and what is her reply? 14.Why did Raisa marry Leo?

15.What does Raisa say is Leo’s problem with becoming powerless?

16.What does Raisa say she will do and what does she want Leo to do?

17.What odd clues does Leo find?

18 MAR

1. Why was the doctor’s transfer a blessing?

2. Why aren’t bodies kept?

3. What did Leo check for in the eyes?

4. What does the doctor point out about the body?

5. What does Leo decide about the crime?

6. What does Nesterov tell Leo he will do? CHILD 44 Name:______

20 MAR

1. How is Raisa finding life to be in her new town?

2. Who destroyed Raisa’s home and why?

3. What can Raisa assume Basarov and others are doing?

4. Why is Raisa mad at Leo?

5. What is Leo looking for and why?

6. Why doesn’t Raisa believe why Leo is there?

7. What is Leo’s response?

8. What does Leo Predict for their future?

9. What does he tell Raisa to do?

10.What do the tracks they find indicate?

11.What evidence do they find? 22 MAR

1. Why can’t they report the body in the woods?

2. How did Leo finally get a search organized?

3. How has the crime affected Leo and Raisa?

4. Why didn’t Nesterov’s teams find the body?

5. What does Leo do and why?

6. What is Nesterov’s response?

7. Why is Nesterov convinced these crimes are different and performed by different people?

23 MAR

1. What had Aleksandr tried to be?

2. Why did he like his job?

3. Why does Aleksandr agree to make the list?

29 MAR

1. How many men have been arrested? 2. How did Aleksandr get his names?

3. What did Nesterov assume about the crime?

4. How did the list change?

5. When torture and threats of 25 years in jail doesn’t crack the case, what does Nesterov assume has happened?

6. Due to the failed investigation, what does Raisa realize about Leo’s character?

30 MAR

1. Describe the orphanage.

2. Why don’t they know if a child is missing?

3. What do they learn at the orphanage?

4. Why is it suspicious the man is sick ?

5. Who have they come to arrest?

6. What does Tyakin have to say about his crime? 7. How does Tyapkin avoid arrest? CHILD 44 Name:______1 APR

1. Why does Aleksandr envy the men he had arrested?

2. Why does he take his life?

3. What had Nesterov given up hope of?

4. Why is Leo there? What are his thoughts on Aleksandr’s death?

5. What do Leo and Nesterov end up doing and why?

6. What does Leo ask about the route the boys go?

7. How does Leo get Nesterov’s trust?

8. What does Leo tell Nesterov to do?

9. What did Nesterov say and why?

1. What is Petya excited about buying and why?

2. What does the man offer Petya? 3. Why does Petya decide to go with the man?

4. Who is the killer? List the clues.

5. Why does he kill? What did he probably do years ago?

4 JULY

1. Where is Nesterov and why?

2. What was the outcome of Varlam Babinich’s trial and why?

3. Is Varlam insane?

4. What was the outcome of the homosexual trials?

5. What big philosophical question is Nesterov dealing with?

6. What did Nesterov discover when he started investigating?

7. Why is the investigation so difficult?

8. How many children have been killed?

9. What mistake does Inessa make and why?

10.Was she justified? 5 JULY

1. Why did Raisa go with Leo?

2. Why is Raisa doing this?

3. Who does Raisa say they should talk to and why?

4. Why didn’t they get Galina’s description of the man?

5. Who does Nadya meet on the path?

6. Why does Andrei prefer cats to his children?

7. Where do Leo and Raisa go to wait for Ivan?

8. What does Ivan mean to Raisa? To Leo?

9. Why is Ivan hesitant at first?

10.What does Ivan decide about the killer?

11.Why does Leo decide things are wrong?

12.What is Ivan?

13.What evidence proves to Raisa that Ivan is not her friend? 14.Why does Leo risk seeing his parents?

15.Would you take the risk to see your parents and why?

16.Why does Raisa say she’ll stay behind?

17.What is ironic about Raisa’s life?

18.Describe Leo’s parents life?

6 JULY

1. What does the letter hint at?

2. What are the murders near Shakhty blamed on?

3. What are the murders in Rostov being blamed on?

4. Who do Petya’s parents think killed their son and why?

5. What happens to Nesterov once back to his mother’s apartment?

7 JULY

1. What has Leo realized about himself?

2. What does Nesterov tell Leo when he enters his office?

3. Why did Nesterov confess?

4. Would you have confessed? 5. What does Leo decide Raisa would want?

6. What has Leo decided about the killer?

7. How will they find him? Do you think it will work?

8. Who drags Leo from the car?

9. Why did aron seek work in the militia?

10.What is Aron to do tonight and why?

11.Who walks towars Aron and what does Aron do?

12.Knife/Photo – How has the photo been useful today and in the past?

13.What does Andrei realize about his killing?

14.What else does Aron find in the bag?

15.What is the link between Andrei and Leo? CHILD 44 Name:______

10 JULY

1. Who tends to Leo? What is his connection to Raisa?

2. What does the doctor expect Raisa to do?

3. Who comes that stops the doctor?

4. Why is Vasili ugly?

5. What question does Vasili have for Leo?

6. Why is Leo willing to say there are no murders?

7. What does Leo realize about why Vasili is confused?

8. What does Vasili have planned for Leo?

9. What is Leo’s real name?

10.Why did Stepan capture Pavel?

11.Why doesn’t Pavel remember anything?

12.What do they feed to Pavel and why?

CHILD 44 TEST

1. Leo’s character evolves over the course of the book. How has he changed? What do you see as the most significant catalyst for change?

2. The relationship between Vasili and Leo is conetentious from the beginning. Does Vasili feel pure hate, contempt or jealousy for Leo?

3. When Raisa reveals the truth of their marriage to Leo, were you surprised at his reaction? Would you have made similar choices under the circumstances? When does personal conviction trump duty and loyalty?

4. Who do you think is ultimately responsible for incriminating Raisa? What would it be like to live in a society in which everyone is under suspicion of crimes against the state?

5. Which character’s duplicity or innocence did you find most surprising and why?

6. How did Leo come to live with Stepan and Anna CHILD 44 Name:______

11 JULY

1. What generosity has Vasili given Leo and Raisa? Why? Do you think it was generous?

12 JULY

1. Describe the train ride? How is Leo? How is Raisa?

2. Why does the train start to back up?

3. What does Raisa choose to do?

4. How does Leo fool the killers?

5. How does Leo get the fellow passengers on the train to help him?

6. Why don’t the other killers snitch?

7. What must Leo do so they can escape?

8. How do they avoid the final trap?

9. How is it that Vasili is able to live alone? 10.Why does Vasili feel empty and why does he begin to feel better?

11.What is their one advantage?

12.What does Raisa say they must do in order to accomplish their task?

13.What is their task and why?

14.Why don’t they just flee the country? What would you do?

15.How does Leo relate himself to Brodsky?

16.Where do Raisa and Leo hide?

17.What problem does Raisa encounter?

18.Why is Leo’s capture imperative?

19.Why does Vasili think Leo won’t be captured?

20.Why is Vasili convinced Leo did not have help?

21.Why is Vasili afraid he will be blamed himself for the escape?

22.Who does Vasili call to his office and why?

23.What does #44 represent? 24.What lie does Vasili tell his subordinate and why?

25.How does Vasili reward his subordinate for his information?

26.What does this action reveal about Vasili’s character?

14 JULY

1. What and why do they have doubts about the driver?

2. Why must they trust him?

3. Do you think Leo passed the test?

4. What are Leo’s plans for after the crime is lovled?

5. How does Raisa suggest they do to pass the time?

6. Why does Raisa carry the coin?

7. How has Raisa and Leo’s relationship changed?

15 JULY

1. What does Nadya decide to do and why?

2. Who tips off her presence? What is Andrei’s first response? 3. How are Leo and Raisa disguised?

4. If Leo and Raisa don’t succeed, who will carry on?

5. How does Leo sneak into the plant?

6. Why does Vasili need to find Leo and Raisa?

7. How do all the strange clues connect?

8. Who chose Leo’s path and why?

9. Why does Leo give Raisa the knife?

10.Why has Andrei committed these murders?

11.What does Andrei have to say about their mother? Do you agree?

12.What happened to Andrei after the war?

13.Why does Andrei get angry?

14.What does Leo reveal about his adopted parents?

15.Why is Leo playing cards when Raisa finds him?

16.Who breaks in?

17.Who kills Vasili and why? 18.How does Leo handle the scene when the militia come in?

19.How has Nadya handled it?

18 JULY

1. What does Leo assume will happen today?

2. What reason does the major give for why Andrei killed? How does it follow party politics?

3. What request does Leo make and why?

25 JULY

1. Where have Leo and Raisa gone and why? CHILD 44 TEST

Get the most out of Child 44 with these reading group discussion questions.

1. Leo's character evolves over the course of the book. What do you see as the most significant catalyst for change? 2. What propels Leo to go forward in his quest for the murderer: fear, compassion, or a sense of justice? 3. The relationship between Vasili and Leo is contentious from the beginning. Does Vasili feel pure hate, contempt, or jealousy for Leo? Why? 4. When Raisa reveals the truth of their marriage to Leo, were you surprised at his reaction? Would you have made similar choices under the circumstances? When does personal conviction trump duty and loyalty? 5. Who do you think was ultimately responsible for incriminating Raisa. What would it be like to live in a society in which everyone is under suspicion of crimes against the state? 6. Does the book's portrayal of life in a totalitarian state remind you of any other books? 7. In 1953, the year of Stalin's death, there were 2,468,524 prisoners in the Gulag system. Do you think that legacy affects Russian culture today? 8. Which character's duplicity or innocence did you find most surprising, and why?

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