READERS GUIDE
Reader’s GuideOne of the Boys by Jayne Cowie
Discussion Questions:
1. It’s quickly accepted that the way to manage boys who test positive for the M gene is to medicate them. Do you think that this is an acceptable thing to do to a young boy?
2. When Bea first opts not to have Simon tested, she’s in a very vulnerable place, having just given birth. Does society place too much pressure on women in this situation to make decisions about their children that may have lifelong repercussions? Is it the right time to test?
3. When Antonia first posts about Jack’s test result on her blog, she faces some unexpected backlash and is accused of wanting a designer baby. Is this a fair comment?
4. The three boys in the book are treated very differently by their parents and the world around them. How much difference do you think parenting makes? Are violent men born, or are they made?
5. Antonia and Owen both support the test; however, they also benefit from it financially. To what extent do you think this influences their belief in testing? They claim to want to help boys and their families, but is this really their main motivation?
6. Despite the treatments on offer, boys who test positive are quickly marginalized, pushed out of playdates, preschools, and, later on, public spaces and workplaces. Is this an inevitable consequence of this sort of testing, and is it justified?
7. Should girls be tested, or is it fair to test only boys, given that men commit the overwhelming majority of murders, violent assaults, and sexual assaults, and make up the majority of the prison population?
8. Should Owen have told Bea that he’d tested Simon? What difference would it have made if he had? Or was Bea right when she decided to parent Simon with no preconceptions?
9. Although the origin of the M gene isn’t explored within the book, Zara is held accountable for Malcolm’s M+ status and for his behavior. Do you think it’s likely that mothers would be blamed in this way?
10. Would you have your son tested?
