Select one of the Berghof house staff, such as Herta, Emma, or Ernst. What function does this character serve in the novel? What key themes does he or she illuminate?

What impact does being bullied have on the shaping of Pierrot’s identity? Do you think it explains his turn to cruelty and violence? Why or why not?

What do you make of the sudden shift to Anshel’s first-person perspective at the end of the novel? Did it change anything about how you interpret the novel as a whole?