Dec 24, 2009

Dune | Topics for Discussion

1. Paul Atreides's psychic powers are aided by a drug produced on Dune. Are drugs good or bad in Dune? Given the terrible effects many drugs have on people, are drugs portrayed responsibly in the novel? Should the way drugs are depicted matter to readers?

2. What are the dangers of charismatic leadership, according to Dune?

3. Some critics regard Dune as primarily a novel of ideas, emphasizing themes over plot and characterization. How compelling is the novel's plot? Does it entertain, or does it simply provide a framework for Herbert's ideas?

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