Episode 2 - "The Green Mile" Part 1, Chapters 7 & 8 and Part 2, Chapters 1-6 - 2/20/07

Stephen King Book Club

"The Green Mile"
Part 1, Chapters 7 & 8 and Part 2, Chapters 1-6
Episode 2 - 2/20/07

In this episode, I shared about a book called "Stephen King Universe" by Stanley Wiater, Christopher Golden, and Hank Wagner. It is a guide to the works of Stephen King and his universe. I am hoping to use this resource in our future discussions.
We received two wonderful e-mails which I read on the show. Thank you to Michelle, and Shawn in Georgia, for their contributions to this episode.
The study questions for this episode are below:

• In Chapter 7, we get our first glimpse of Steamboat Willy, who we come to know as Mr. Jingles. What do you suppose endeared the mouse to the guards on E Block?
• We find out where Mr. Jingles had been staying and how he got into the prison in the first place. Things are revealed that we don’t quite understand until we read farther in the book. Why was this revealed now rather than later after everything was said and done?
• At the end of Part 1, we see that both Paul and Brutal want to be transferred from the Mile to Boys’ Correctional. What do you think caused them to make this decision?

Part 2, “The Mouse on the Mile” Ch. 1-6

• In Chapter 1, we get our first look at Brad Dolan, a man who works in the nursing home where the elderly Paul lives. Paul says Brad reminds him a little of Percy? Do you agree? Why or why not?
• It looks as though Brad never liked Paul from the start. Why do you think he gives Paul a hard time?
• In Chapter 2, Steamboat Willy returned to the Green Mile three days after Percy chased him back into the restraint room. We come to realize that the mouse will only take food from the regulars who work on the mile and refuses food given to him by Bill Dodge, a floater. The mouse appears more intelligent than most other mice. Do you agree?
• Again, we see Percy wanting to do the mouse in when he throws his baton at him. Why do you think Percy hates the mouse so much?
• In Chapter 3, we see the Steamboat Willy comes back the next day after Percy threw the baton at him, even when the others didn’t think he would. Why does the mouse end up coming back?
• We have seen old Toot-toot before, but in Chapter 4, we get more of a taste for his personality. Do you like him? Why or why not?
• In this chapter, we see the rehearsal for Arlen Bitterbuck’s execution. It is obvious that Toot-toot enjoys his role as stand-in and really plays it to the hilt, even making a pretty hilarious crack when he’s asked if he has something to say before sentence is carried out (see page 96 in the hardcover edition). This cracks up the other men but irritates Paul. Why did Paul get so irritated and was he justified in his agitation?

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I look forward to hearing from you listeners. Please e-mail me any answers to our study questions, any comments about the book or any of Stephen King's books, feedback and insights, and comments about the show. An interactive podcast makes an interesting podcast.

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Have a safe week, stay warm, and happy reading.

Sharon