Grinnell's Readers Rendezvous discussion

Discussion Questions:
The 100-Year-Old Man
Who Climbed Out the
Window and Disappeared
by Jonas Jonasson
Readinggroupguides.com
1. Author Jonas Jonasson describes THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT A
WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED as “an intelligent, very stupid novel.” What do you think
he means?
2. Allan Karlsson is 100 years old. This is unusual; typical icons these days are much
younger. How does his age matter to the novel? Did you relate to him? Why do you think
the author, Jonas Jonasson, chose to make Allan a centarian? Is there a reason the
author would begin the current action on the protagonist’s 100th birthday?
3. Would you call Allan a role model? Why, or why not?
4. At the opening of THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT A WINDOW AND
DISAPPEARED, Allan climbs out a window to escape a birthday party that clearly means
something different to him than it does to the people planning it. What do you think of this
act? Is this rebellion? Is this simply expedient? Have you ever considered simply escaping
out a window rather than facing something?
5. What do you think the author was saying about our society and the attitude towards
aging? Who is the oldest person you know? What have you learned from that person,
and did reading THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT A WINDOW AND
DISAPPEARED make you wish you could hear more of that person’s personal story?
6. Compare THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT A WINDOW AND
DISAPPEARED to other novels about protagonists who have unexpected adventures and
encounters. What does the conceit of inserting fictional characters into real-life situations
tell readers? What does it mean to you?
7. Readers learn about Allan’s past through his stories. Do you trust his memory? Did it
occur to you that these might not be true? Why? What does it tell you about the nature of
the past, and memory?
8. Throughout the novel Allan encounters historical characters, and gets involved in
episodes that change history. Which episode did you enjoy the most? Why?
9. Imagine an “outtake” from the novel --- wherein Allan encounters someone from history
who does not appear in THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT A WINDOW
AND DISAPPEARED. Who would you like it to be?
10. If you had to describe THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT A WINDOW AND
DISAPPEARED in a single word, what would it be?
11. At 100, Allan’s life is filled with important moments. And yet he does not seem to see
these encounters as momentous. Is he naïve? Innocent? What does Allan’s own attitude
toward his past and his present tell you about him and his view of life? Do you hold a
similar perspective?
12. Reviewers across the globe have commented on the humor in the novel. Did you laugh?
Would you define this as comic, or satiric? What is the difference?
13. Have you read other novels by Swedish novelists? If so, which ones? If not, why not?
How is this one similar or different?
14. Re-read the final pages of the novel. Some would say that Jonasson has left an episode
yet to come. What do you think will happen to Allan? Why do you think the author chose
to end the novel like this? Would you read a sequel?