Anatomy: A Love Story

Consider the novel’s title. On one level, the novel tells Hazel and Jack’s love story. How is the story also about the love of science and anatomy?

How does Dr. Beecham contribute to the novel’s genre and major themes? How do his hands serve as a motif for the theme of The Brutality of Corruption? What overall point is Dana Schwartz trying to make by constructing this antagonist?

How is the protagonist shaped by the theme of opportunity and ambition? What opportunities does Hazel receive because of her background, and which does she create for herself? What obstacles does she overcome to achieve her ambition?

Hazel and Jack have strikingly different backgrounds, skills, and personalities. How do those differences make them stronger, and what brings them together despite their differences? How does their love story impact the novel’s overall meaning?

How does the character of Bernard Almont develop the theme of The Brutality of Corruption? How does he seek to uphold the status quo and the social hierarchy of Edinburgh, and how does Hazel attempt to undermine his efforts and protect her autonomy?

Electricity is used as a symbol for discovery throughout the novel. When does Hazel experience electric epiphanies, and how does the significance of this symbol evolve over the course of the story?

How do Hazel’s, Jack’s, and Dr. Beecham’s perspectives on life and death differ? What are the consequences of tampering with the balance between life and death? How does this theme inform the cliffhanger ending and the novel’s overall meaning?

How does Hazel’s disguise serve as a motif for the theme of Ambition and Opportunity? What is the significance of her decision to wear a dress on the day of the Royal Physician’s Exam?