1. Why did the Tucks keep their immortality a secret? Was it solely to protect themselves, or did they have a more profound, altruistic reason?

2. Were the Tucks justified in concealing the secret of immortality from the world? Could better-educated and more capable individuals have managed eternal life more effectively? If you were in their shoes, would you have revealed the discovery to the public?

3. Winnie lies about the Tucks kidnapping her and later breaks the law by helping Mae Tuck escape from prison. Is she wrong for doing these things? Is there ever a moral justification for breaking the law?

4. If you were offered the chance at eternal life, would you accept it? If so, what would be the ideal age to stop aging? Twelve? Seventeen? Twenty-four? Remember, once you've drunk from the fountain, you will remain that age forever.

5. Is the stranger an entirely evil person? Are his intentions completely malicious?

6. Why does Winnie choose not to drink the water?

7. Babbitt doesn't reveal Winnie's decision to remain mortal until the epilogue, some seventy years later. Why did Babbitt choose to disclose Winnie's decision in this manner?

8. At the end of the book, Babbitt has the ash tree marking the fountain destroyed by lightning, and then the entire area is bulldozed, presumably destroying the fountain. Why does this happen? Do you believe it was mere coincidence?