Gilgamesh: book club questions by chapter

🦉 Gilgamesh · meeting 1 of 3

Read: Part One, “The King and the Wild Man”; Part Two, “Closer Than Brothers” (pages 1–5, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 5, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did the gazelles run from Enkidu after his time with Shamhat?
   The story's answer: He no longer smelled like the wilderness
2. Who have we met so far, and what does each of them want?
   Listen for: Make a list together on the board; keep it for next time and add to it.
3. The part we just read is called "Closer Than Brothers". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 Gilgamesh · meeting 2 of 3

Read: Part Three, “The Cedar Forest”; Part Four, “The Bull of Heaven” (pages 6–9, about 5 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 9, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why did Gilgamesh want to go to the Cedar Forest?
   The story's answer: To make his name last forever
2. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
3. The part we just read is called "The Bull of Heaven". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 Gilgamesh · meeting 3 of 3

Read: Part Five, “The Ends of the Earth”; Part Six, “The Wall of Uruk” (pages 10–15, about 8 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 15, the end of the story.

1. Why did the gods create Enkidu?
   The story's answer: To answer the prayers of Gilgamesh's overworked people
2. How did Utnapishtim prove that Gilgamesh had slept for seven days?
   The story's answer: He showed him the loaves baked each day
3. What does Gilgamesh seem to understand when he shows Urshanabi the wall at the end?
   The story's answer: That a person lives on through their work, their city and their story
4. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
5. The part we just read is called "The Wall of Uruk". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
6. Now that you know the ending, was it the ending you expected?
   Listen for: Ask what in the earlier parts pointed to it, or pointed the other way.

About the whole story

1. What does this myth explain, or try to explain?
   Listen for: Many myths explain how something came to be: a season, an animal, a name.
2. Was the main character right or wrong? Was the ending fair?
   Listen for: Myths are often hard on people; let the group disagree.