Paper Towns

After Margo disappears, we learn that she has run away several times before. Describe her other adventures, and the common threads between the trips. What makes her final disappearance so different?

Every time Margo disappears, she leaves clues behind. What clues does she leave behind after her night out with Quentin? Are these clues different from the clues she has left previously? If so, how?

Do you think that Margo wants to be found this time? Does she want to be found by Quentin? Discuss with reference to specific passages from the novel.

At one point in the novel, Quentin begins suspect that Margo has committed suicide. Drawing from the novel, what specific clues lead him to this assumption? Do you think it is a valid assumption? Discuss.

Quentin and his friends go on a road trip to find Margo. Compare and contrast the road trip with the trip Quentin ad Margo took the night before she disappeared. What are the similarities and differences?

Throughout the novel, the definition of what a “paper town” is changes. Discuss the different meanings of the term that surface as the novel progresses. How do they relate to the themes of the book?

The concept of people as “mirrors” and “windows” recurs throughout the novel. What does this metaphor mean? How does it relate to the broader themes of the novel?

What philosophy of life do you most agree with in the novel? Margo’s strings, Whitman’s grass, or Quentin’s cracked vessel? Describe each, and then discuss with the reasons for your choice.