I very much enjoyed this book! Couldn't put it down. Intelligent writer. However, the end was a bit dramatic. But what a lesson in forgiveness!!
If you haven't finished the book, don't read any further...
So wonderful how Truitt and Catherine changed, letting go their negative past. I believe Catherine was good as a child. Her main focus was to help her sister. She sacrificed herself for this. Truitt's huge capacity for forgiveness is heart-warming.
HUGE question at end... actually TWO questions:
1. At the very end, when Catherine was on and on about the beautiful spring garden... did she imagine that? Then, in the last pages, she seemed to bounce back to a ruined garden with no blooms. Was this a foreshadow of potential beauty?
2. Who shot Antonio??
Please respond!
If you haven't finished the book, don't read any further...
So wonderful how Truitt and Catherine changed, letting go their negative past. I believe Catherine was good as a child. Her main focus was to help her sister. She sacrificed herself for this. Truitt's huge capacity for forgiveness is heart-warming.
HUGE question at end... actually TWO questions:
1. At the very end, when Catherine was on and on about the beautiful spring garden... did she imagine that? Then, in the last pages, she seemed to bounce back to a ruined garden with no blooms. Was this a foreshadow of potential beauty?
2. Who shot Antonio??
Please respond!
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why do so many of the faculty appear to "hate" Hank?
2. Why does Hank's wife Lily no longer appreciate Hank's sense of humor?
3. When stressed, have you ever spoken your thoughts
....out loud without knowing it?
4. Why are the others angry at Hank for not selling his adjacent lot?
5. Why was Hank's student Blaire so awkward (pg. 267)?
6. When hiding in the ceiling, did you think Hank would fall from the rafters?
7. Leo apparently killed the duck. How was he discovered?
8. What ailment did Hank have?
9. Should Hank have accepted his position as dean?
10. Would `The Goose Slayer' have been a better title?
11. Why did Hank's mother see Mr. Purty?
12. Does Hank have strong morals?
13. Why are Hank's wife and mother worried about him early on?
......What symptoms does he show?
14. Hank has fantasies of seeing Lily with other men.
......Do these fantasies represent his fears or his desires?
15. Why does Russo call the first portion of the novel “Occam's Razor”?
16. Why does Hank's father cry when he confesses that he may've misjudged Dickens?
17. Why the title? (page 106)
.....“In English depts, the most serious competition is for the role of SM.”
1. Why do so many of the faculty appear to "hate" Hank?
2. Why does Hank's wife Lily no longer appreciate Hank's sense of humor?
3. When stressed, have you ever spoken your thoughts
....out loud without knowing it?
4. Why are the others angry at Hank for not selling his adjacent lot?
5. Why was Hank's student Blaire so awkward (pg. 267)?
6. When hiding in the ceiling, did you think Hank would fall from the rafters?
7. Leo apparently killed the duck. How was he discovered?
8. What ailment did Hank have?
9. Should Hank have accepted his position as dean?
10. Would `The Goose Slayer' have been a better title?
11. Why did Hank's mother see Mr. Purty?
12. Does Hank have strong morals?
13. Why are Hank's wife and mother worried about him early on?
......What symptoms does he show?
14. Hank has fantasies of seeing Lily with other men.
......Do these fantasies represent his fears or his desires?
15. Why does Russo call the first portion of the novel “Occam's Razor”?
16. Why does Hank's father cry when he confesses that he may've misjudged Dickens?
17. Why the title? (page 106)
.....“In English depts, the most serious competition is for the role of SM.”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What surprised you the most about Chinese history?
2. What do we owe our government?
3. How does the idea of socialism differ from what was practiced (pg. 415)
4. Does society benefit from gender roles?
5. Does the right of society weigh heavier than the right to the individual?
6. Was the author's father a good man?
7. Do you remember the first time you were disillusioned by your government?
8. Compare how people view Mao with how people view Jesus.
9. How long would you last as a peasant?
10. How does this book relate to the Patriot Act, or does it?
11. What about the government lies? (example – steel production)
12. Which of the 3 daughters had the best life, in your opinion?
13. Was Mao aware of what he did?
14. Chang says it was very painful to write this book.
......She was unable to do so for many years.
......If you went thru what she did, could you have written about it?
• This book (published in 30 languages) is now banned in midland China
• Chang earned a Ph.D. in Linguistics in London
• Chang grew to love life in Britain, especially its literature and the arts.
• Chang lives in West London with her husband,
...a British historian who specializes in Soviet history.
• Chang retired in the 1990's to concentrate on her writing.
• Chang's latest work is a biography of Mao, co-authored by her husband.
1. What surprised you the most about Chinese history?
2. What do we owe our government?
3. How does the idea of socialism differ from what was practiced (pg. 415)
4. Does society benefit from gender roles?
5. Does the right of society weigh heavier than the right to the individual?
6. Was the author's father a good man?
7. Do you remember the first time you were disillusioned by your government?
8. Compare how people view Mao with how people view Jesus.
9. How long would you last as a peasant?
10. How does this book relate to the Patriot Act, or does it?
11. What about the government lies? (example – steel production)
12. Which of the 3 daughters had the best life, in your opinion?
13. Was Mao aware of what he did?
14. Chang says it was very painful to write this book.
......She was unable to do so for many years.
......If you went thru what she did, could you have written about it?
• This book (published in 30 languages) is now banned in midland China
• Chang earned a Ph.D. in Linguistics in London
• Chang grew to love life in Britain, especially its literature and the arts.
• Chang lives in West London with her husband,
...a British historian who specializes in Soviet history.
• Chang retired in the 1990's to concentrate on her writing.
• Chang's latest work is a biography of Mao, co-authored by her husband.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Did you enjoy this book?
..2. Is being homeless a choice??
..3. What misconceptions doe we have about the homeless?
..4. Can you believe families in America live like this?
......Do you think it was exaggerated?
..5. Which scene stood out for you?
..6. What is “The Glass Castle” and how does it fit in with the story?
..7. What did you think about the father giving his kids stars?
..8. Who did you like better (or least) – the mother or the father?
..9. Did the father ever actually come through for his children?
10. Did Jeannette prefer the dessert or West Virginia? Why?
11. Why were the children successful in life?
12. Why didn't the children turn their backs on their parents
......when they were on their own? Would you have?
13. Did Jeannette inherit any traits from her parents?
14. What do parents owe their children? What do children owe their parents?
1. Did you enjoy this book?
..2. Is being homeless a choice??
..3. What misconceptions doe we have about the homeless?
..4. Can you believe families in America live like this?
......Do you think it was exaggerated?
..5. Which scene stood out for you?
..6. What is “The Glass Castle” and how does it fit in with the story?
..7. What did you think about the father giving his kids stars?
..8. Who did you like better (or least) – the mother or the father?
..9. Did the father ever actually come through for his children?
10. Did Jeannette prefer the dessert or West Virginia? Why?
11. Why were the children successful in life?
12. Why didn't the children turn their backs on their parents
......when they were on their own? Would you have?
13. Did Jeannette inherit any traits from her parents?
14. What do parents owe their children? What do children owe their parents?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan's true friend?
2. Why does Amir resent Hassan?
3. After the kite running tournament,
....why can't Amir be Hassan's friend?
4. Discuss Amir's relationship with Baba.
5. After Amir wins the kite running tournament,
....his relationship with Baba undergoes significant change.
....However, while they form a bond of friendship,
....Amir is still unhappy.
....What causes this unhappiness
....and how has Baba contributed to Amir's state of mind?
6. Eventually, the relationship between Amir and Baba
....returns to the way it was before the tournament,
....and Amir laments
..."we actually deceived ourselves into thinking
....that a toy made of tissue paper,
....and glue could somehow close the chasm between us."
....Discuss the significance of this passage?
7. What has Amir sacrificed for Baba?
....How has Amir "damned himself"?
8. America acts as a place
....for Amir to bury his memories and for Baba to mourn his.
....Discuss.
9. Why is Baba disappointed by Amir's decision
....to become a writer?
10. Discuss how the politics of Afghanistan
......affect the characters in the novel.
11. Throughout the story,
......Baba worries because Amir never stands up for himself.
......When does this change?
12. Amir's confrontation with Assef Khan
......marks an important turning point in the novel.
......Why is it important in Amir's journey
......toward forgiveness and acceptance??
13. Can Master and Servant ever be true friends?
14. Did you anticipate the show more ending?
......Or did you think that Hassan's son
......would live with Amir happily every after
.....(as I thought 2/3rd into the novel). show less
1. Why is Amir afraid to be Hassan's true friend?
2. Why does Amir resent Hassan?
3. After the kite running tournament,
....why can't Amir be Hassan's friend?
4. Discuss Amir's relationship with Baba.
5. After Amir wins the kite running tournament,
....his relationship with Baba undergoes significant change.
....However, while they form a bond of friendship,
....Amir is still unhappy.
....What causes this unhappiness
....and how has Baba contributed to Amir's state of mind?
6. Eventually, the relationship between Amir and Baba
....returns to the way it was before the tournament,
....and Amir laments
..."we actually deceived ourselves into thinking
....that a toy made of tissue paper,
....and glue could somehow close the chasm between us."
....Discuss the significance of this passage?
7. What has Amir sacrificed for Baba?
....How has Amir "damned himself"?
8. America acts as a place
....for Amir to bury his memories and for Baba to mourn his.
....Discuss.
9. Why is Baba disappointed by Amir's decision
....to become a writer?
10. Discuss how the politics of Afghanistan
......affect the characters in the novel.
11. Throughout the story,
......Baba worries because Amir never stands up for himself.
......When does this change?
12. Amir's confrontation with Assef Khan
......marks an important turning point in the novel.
......Why is it important in Amir's journey
......toward forgiveness and acceptance??
13. Can Master and Servant ever be true friends?
14. Did you anticipate the show more ending?
......Or did you think that Hassan's son
......would live with Amir happily every after
.....(as I thought 2/3rd into the novel). show less