1. Walter Anderson attributes his drive and eventual career success to his mastery over his childhood difficulties. Is there a correlation between ambition and overcoming hardship?

2. Walter confronts his mother about a secret she has kept for so many years. Are children entitled to know their parents' pasts?

3. Walter finds out that he is the biological son of a Jew. What are Walter's responsibilities to the faith of his father?

4. Walter lived with the secret of his parentage for years. How does living with a secret affect intimate relationships?