I Hunt Killers

These prompts can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before or after reading the novel.

Pre-Reading “Icebreaker”

Lobo’s Nod is the small town in which I Hunt Killers is set. “Lobo” is the Spanish language word for “wolf.” “Nod” is sometimes used as a word that refers to sleep, but the “Land of Nod” is also where God exiled Cain after slaying his brother Abel. Considering the setting of the book, could the author be trying to make a statement about small town America? Though the author never names a specific state or region of the country, do you think the book is more likely set in a certain part of the United States?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage students to consider the many layers of potential meaning embedded in the name “Lobo’s Nod.” The wolf reference, for example, could point to some of the motifs of predation in the book. You may also want to briefly review the story of Cain and Abel, another tale of complicated and fraught familial relations, where the “Land of Nod” is considered a place of anguish beyond the reach of God’s jurisdiction in the Bible.

• “Literature Place Names”: a short list of fictional place names and their contextual meanings
• “Crime and Policing in Rural and Small-Town America: An Overview of the Issues”: a substantial study by the U.S. Department of Justice exploring the criminal issues unique to small-town America
• “Symbolism”: a quick reference from SuperSummary's Literary Devices library

Post-Reading Analysis

Identity is not fixed in the characters of I Hunt Killers—it is malleable; it shifts and changes over time. This is particularly true for Jazz, but Jazz is not the only character in the novel who has a fluid self-identity. The Impressionist, of course, does not have an identity of his own; he is simply a copycat of Billy Dent. Meanwhile, Billy Dent also has multiple aliases: the Artist, Green Jack, Hand-in-Glove, and Gentle Killer. Jazz can see the world just like a serial killer thanks to his father, yet he is very much the opposite of a killer himself. Jazz, in fact, hunts killers. What does it say about the characters in general that no one has a stable identity? Consider the title of the novel itself. What does it imply about the book’s larger themes surrounding identity?

Teaching Suggestion: Guide students toward a debate about “nature” vs. “nurture” and what effect each has on a person’s identity. Does a person’s genetics (nature) determine who they are or is it more the environment in which they were raised (nurture)? Be sure to emphasize that there is serious contention on this topic in society and that current science tells us it’s a little bit of both. Students should also address what it means for Jazz’s identity in the story to have such a strong “I” statement as the title of the book.

• “Nature vs Nurture”: a brief FuseSchool video providing a broad overview of the concept of nature versus nurture
• “The End of Nature Versus Nurture”: a Behavioral Scientist article discussing new epigenetic research and how it complicates the discourse on nature versus nurture