The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride

While most of this book is fictional, there are real details, such as Murray’s description of Chicago and the story of Pepper Paire. How do these details enrich the story?

Why is it significant that this story is set in 1997? How does the setting influence the descriptions of technology and language in the story?

How well does this book fit into the genre of inspirational fiction? Consider the differences between Christian, theological, and other kinds of inspirational fiction when developing your answer.

While Murray and Jason are dynamic characters, Tiegan is static. Why do you think her character stays the same as the story progresses? What does this say about the themes and about her role in the narrative?

Examine the role of foreshadowing in this story. Which examples of foreshadowing can you find? How do they serve the story?

Why is this story told from Murray’s perspective and not Jason’s? Consider the role of the frame narrative when writing your answer.

This book has been optioned for a film adaptation. Choose a scene from the story and rewrite it as a screenplay. Consider which elements from the scene are most important and how you would represent them visually.

Murray cannot remember playing catch with Chance, but he is still glad to learn that it happened. Critically examine the role of memory and forgetting in this story. What does it tell you about the characters?