Everyone in This Room Will Someday be Dead

Pigs appear routinely throughout the novel. What do they symbolize? What are different characters’ perspectives on pigs, and how do these perspectives tie into the larger themes of the novel?

Austin often uses symbolic objects to illustrate Gilda’s journey. Pick an object and analyze its symbolic and narrative function in the novel. What themes does it convey, and how so?

The novel ends on a cliffhanger regarding Gilda’s continued improvement. Why do you think Austin chose to do this?

What is Austin trying to communicate about familial conflict and trauma through Gilda and Eli’s relationships with their parents? How do Gilda and Eli each handle their parents’ reactions to their mental health?

What kind of relationship do Gilda and Eli have, and how is it informed by their shared experiences with mental health?

How does Austin portray the relationship between LGBTQ+ people and Christianity (specifically, Catholicism)? Are there moments at Saint Rigobert’s Catholic church that inform how Gilda views Catholicism?

Why do you think Austin opens with a car accident? How does the explosion of action, movement, and bodily injury set the tone for the rest of the novel?

Choose a part of the novel and examine its relationship with its namesake (Advent, Twelvetide, etc.). How does Gilda’s journey reflect the values and traditions of your chosen Catholic holiday?