Q1: Throughout the narrative, des Grieux makes wildly inaccurate statements, such as "Clearly there was nothing absolutely criminal in my case," or "there was nothing in my behavior, taken all round, which was completely dishonorable." Is this all an act for the benefit of his audience? Or does he really believe he has been unfairly maligned by society and fate?
Q2: Why did he abandon Manon in prison when his father comes to free him? In other words, why does he say he didn't intercede for her...and why might he have actually decided not to? Given his insistence on following her to the very ends of the Earth (or New Orleans), why did he give her up so easily here?
Q3: What do you make of des Grieux and Manon's sudden religious conversion in New Orleans? Is this authentic? Or somewhat staged? Is there any other reason why they might have finally tried to get married? And if so, do you think it was more her idea or his?
Q4: Think about this carefully, even though the answer seems obvious: do you think des Grieux murders Manon at the end of the novel? Yes, naturally, he says she died of natural causes or exposure, but when he returns to the town, he is arrested for killing her. Is there any reason to believe them--and doubt him? Is this consistent with his character and Prevost's intentions as a storyteller?
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