The Gift of Rain

Philip spends much of the novel trying to navigate his identity. How does the text examine the different facets of identity—personal, familial, national, and/or colonial? How do different characters conceive of their identity and how does it shape their values and experiences?

Endo and Philip believe that they are caught in a cycle of rebirth. How does the novel use these ideas of rebirth to explore the tensions between fate and agency more generally?

Closely analyze Michiko’s role in the story. How is she characterized? What is her wider significance in the text? How is she different or similar to Philip and/or Endo?

Philip and Endo develop what appears to be a close friendship, but their bond becomes more ambiguous as the novel progresses. How does The Gift of Rain explore the complexities of loyalty and betrayal through their bond?

Many of the characters practice martial arts throughout the novel. What is the role and significance of martial arts in terms of characterization, symbolism, and/or illustrating key ideas?

The novel portrays the British colonial presence in Malaya. To what extent can The Gift of Rain be considered a postcolonial novel? How does it conform to, or differ from, typical postcolonial tropes and concerns?

Familial dynamics form an important part of the text and are a key component of Philip and Endo’s character arcs. How are familial dynamics depicted? How do various characters’ conceptions of family change, or refuse to change, over the course of the text?

The novel features many traumatic events, both personal and historical, in the lives of the characters. How does the novel explore the nature of trauma and its lasting effects?