Never Fall Down

Because the novel is written in first-person, all the story’s events are filtered through Arn’s experience. Is Arn a reliable narrator? What are the advantages and disadvantages of telling the story from a single point-of-view?

What characterizes Arn’s relationship with the Khmer Rouge and how does it change over time?

McCormick presents the Khmer Rouge as secretive and needlessly brutal in the novel. What are their political goals? What methods do they use to achieve those ends? Do they have a just cause?

When Arn arrives in the Thai refugee camp, he does not know what year it is. How does the novel present the passage of time, and why is this significant? How does Arn measure his experience without the aid of clocks or calendars?

Discuss how America’s bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War contributed to the causes of the Cambodian Genocide.

McCormick often juxtaposes horrific and humorous imagery. For example, in Chapter 14, Arn dreams he is trapped under a “hundred thousand corpse,” and in the next paragraph he is learning English from a Star Wars book and saying: “Fine, thank you. How are you? May the Force be with you!” (175). Why does the author choose to make these abrupt transitions? What does it say about Arn’s character?

Arn has an ideal of America before Peter Pond brings him to the United States. Which of his expectations about America are met? How does his view of America change over time?

Peter Pond is a complex character. Why does Peter Pond choose to adopt Arn? Are Peter Pond’s motives for adopting Arn, Sojeat and Ravi completely altruistic or does he exploit the boys for his own ends?