Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney: Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney — 15 Evidence-Grounded Q&As for Study and Discussion {#questions-and-answers-rock-paper-scissors-by-alice-feeney-15-evidence-grounded-qas-for-study-and-discussion} This study companion offers fifteen questions and answers that dig into the specific mechanics of Alice Feeney's Rock Paper Scissors. Each answer is grounded in the novel's chapters and evidence, avoiding generic literary-analysis boilerplate. The questions are designed to help you trace the novel's intricate cause-and-effect chains, its use of symbols, and its layered deceptions. For a broader overview, see the main book page, and for a deep dive into the final revelations, visit the ending explained. ### 1. How does Adam's prosopagnosia function as more than a character quirk, and how does it directly enable the novel's central deception? {#1-how-does-adams-prosopagnosia-function-as-more-than-a-character-quirk-and-how-does-it-directly-enable-the-novels-central-deception} Direct Answer: Adam's face blindness is the engine of the plot. It prevents him from recognizing the woman he married as the same girl who was in the car the night his mother died. This single neurological condition allows Amelia to insert herself into his life, and it also blinds him to Robin's true identity as Henry Winter's daughter. The condition is not just a character trait; it is the structural weakness that the entire revenge plot exploits. Evidence and Interpretation: In the opening chapter, Amelia reflects that her husband wouldn't be able to pick her out in a police line-up, establishing the condition's severity. Later, in chapter 26, Adam's recurring nightmare about the woman in the red kimono is detailed, and Amelia notes he couldn't recognize the person in the car twenty-five years ago. The final revelation in chapter 63 confirms the twist: Adam realizes he married the girl from the park that night, a fact made possible only because he could never identify her face. This makes his condition a central plot device, not just a character detail. It also fuels the theme of the unreliability of perception, as his inability to see faces makes him unable to see the truth of his own life. ### 2. What is the symbolic significance of the paper crane, and how does its journey through the novel reflect the state of Adam and Amelia's marriage? {#2-what-is-the-symbolic-significance-of-the-paper-crane-and-how-does-its-journey-through-the-novel-reflect-the-state-of-adam-and-amelias-marriage} Direct Answer: The paper crane is a symbol of fragile hope and a connection to the past. It is a gift from Robin, representing the genuine love and luck of their early marriage. When Amelia throws it into the fire in a fit of jealousy, she is symbolically trying to destroy that past. Adam's rescue of the singed crane shows his desperate clinging to it, even as his current marriage burns around him. Evidence and Interpretation: The crane first appears in chapter 9, where the narrator gives one to Adam as an anniversary gift. In chapter 11, Amelia snatches it and throws it into the fire, and Adam retrieves it, singed but intact. This incident solidifies his resolve to end the marriage. The crane reappears in chapter 41, where Robin finds a burnt-edged origami crane in Adam's wallet, and again in chapter 50, where Adam finds a matching origami bird in Henry Winter's desk. This repetition links the crane to the novel's central mystery and to Robin's orchestration of events, showing how the past is never truly destroyed. ### 3. How does the novel use the game of rock paper scissors as a motif for decision-making, and what does the outcome of each game reveal about the characters? {#3-how-does-the-novel-use-the-game-of-rock-paper-scissors-as-a-motif-for-decision-making-and-what-does-the-outcome-of-each-game-reveal-about-the-characters} Direct Answer: The game is used as a way to make life-altering decisions, often in moments of high emotion. The outcomes are not random; they reveal the characters' desires and their willingness to let chance decide their fate. The game's title also points to the novel's structure, where the