10 Apples Never Fall Book Club Questions
Beneath the polished exterior of the Delaneys lies a complex web of secrets and tensions. When their matriarch mysteriously vanishes, the family is plunged into chaos.
As suspicion grows, the Delaney children are forced to confront their own troubled pasts and question the man they’ve always looked up to.
Liane Moriarty’s Apples Never Fall is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the heart of a seemingly idyllic family. Join us as we explore the dark underbelly of the Delaney household through thought-provoking discussion questions.
Book Club Questions For Apples Never Fall
- Stan’s intense focus on tennis and its effect on his children highlights the burden of parental expectations. Discuss how the legacy of Stan as a tennis coach shaped the identities and life choices of the Delaney siblings. Consider whether their eventual resistance or conformity to these expectations played a significant role in their personal issues. How does the novel portray the impact of such legacies on multiple generations, and can you find parallels in your own experiences or other literary examples where a family legacy has profoundly influenced characters?
- The absence of emotional support and mental health guidance is a recurring theme in the Delaney family’s story. Explore how the novel addresses the necessity of mental health resources, especially in high-pressure environments like professional sports. What does the novel suggest about the broader implications of neglecting mental health in pursuit of excellence? Discuss whether the introduction of a mental health mentor could have altered the trajectory of the children’s lives, and consider how this aspect of the narrative reflects broader societal issues.
- Joy’s actions and the subsequent reactions highlight complex themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the survival of marital relationships under strain. Analyze the relationship between Joy and Stan, focusing on the implications of Joy’s decision to influence Haddad’s departure. How does the novel explore the tension between individual desires and family or marital obligations? Discuss the role that secrets and betrayals play in the novel and compare them to other literary works that deal with similar themes.
- Joy’s disappearance acts as a catalyst for each Delaney sibling to reassess their lives. Discuss how personal crises are portrayed as opportunities for self-discovery and change in the novel. How do these moments of crisis help the characters confront and perhaps begin to heal their personal demons? Explore whether these portrayals are realistic and how they compare to other narratives where a family crisis leads to profound personal or collective transformation.
- The novel uses tennis as a metaphor for success and failure in life and relationships. Discuss how the pressures to succeed affect the Delaney siblings’ relationships with one another and with others outside their family. How does the novel critique the idea of success as defined by societal and parental expectations? Consider how this theme of success and failure extends to their understanding and pursuit of love and happiness.
- Examine how the Delaney siblings’ experiences under Stan’s strict coaching and the various parenting styles depicted in the novel have shaped their adult relationships and self-perceptions. Discuss the different ways each sibling copes with or rejects their upbringing. What does the novel say about the long-term effects of parenting on emotional and relational maturity? Can these effects be mitigated or reversed, according to the narrative?
- Explore the theme of control in the relationships within the Delaney family, particularly between Stan and the other family members. How does Stan’s need for control in his professional life infiltrate his personal relationships? Discuss how this need for control might contribute to the family’s dysfunction and compare it with other characters in literature or media who exhibit similar tendencies.
- Delve into the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation as they appear in the novel. Which characters seek forgiveness, and who offers reconciliation? Discuss the conditions under which forgiveness is granted or withheld in the story. How do these moments of forgiveness (or the lack thereof) drive the plot and character development? What might the novel suggest about the power and limitations of forgiveness in repairing familial bonds?
- Savannah’s entry into the Delaney family brings underlying tensions to the surface. Discuss how external factors or characters outside the family core influence the family dynamics in the novel. What does this suggest about the vulnerability or resilience of family bonds when subjected to external pressures? Compare this to other books where an outsider has a significant impact on family cohesion.
- Analyze the use of tennis as a symbol and metaphor throughout the novel. How do the tennis careers of the Delaney children parallel their personal struggles and relationships? Extend this analysis to other symbols that may appear in the novel, such as the physical home environment, specific events like Joy’s disappearance, or objects of significance. What deeper meanings do these symbols convey about the themes of the book?
If you liked this set of questions, here are some other things for you to explore.