Discuss reading the chapters as told through the Elk’s voice. What did you believe was happening at this point in the narrative?Ħ. As the story unfolds, it seems less and less likely that Ricky and Lewis were imagining that an elk was after them. What convinced him each time? Did you expect him to kill them both? If so, at what point did you realize he would go that far?ĥ. Lewis convinces himself that Elk Head Woman has infiltrated his life first as Shaney, then as Peta. Would these circumstances have driven you insane?Ĥ. How does his recent string of bad luck chip away at his sanity? Discuss the combination of factors that push him over the edge. Lewis believes he is being pursued by the spirit of the young mother elk he killed. What about that hunting trip was unique? Do you understand how it was a violation?ģ. Lewis is haunted by one afternoon of hunting with his friends, instead of all the other hunts he’s been a part of. What do you think of Ricky’s prediction? Do you believe what he saw that night or was it a figment of his imagination? Could he have changed the outcome?Ģ. The story opens with a dark and pessimistic headline that rings true by the end of the prologue. Not just them, either, but their families and friends.ġ. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.įour American Indian men from the Blackfeet Nation, who were childhood friends, find themselves in a desperate struggle for their lives against an entity that wants to exact revenge upon them for what they did during an elk hunt ten years earlier. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. This reading group guide for The Only Good Indians includes an introduction, discussion questions, and ideas for enhancing your book club.

Only the good indians