Adam

Adam Trask struggles to overcome the actions of others—his father, brother, and wife—and make his own life. What is the lesson that he learns that frees him from Kate and allows him to love his sons? He says to Cal near the end that "if you want to give me a present—give me a good life. That would be something I could value." Does Adam have a good life? What hinders him? Would you characterize his life as successful in the end?
 

Lee

Lee is one of the most remarkable characters in American literature, a philosopher trapped by the racial expectations of his time. He is the essence of compassion, erudition, and calm, serving the Trasks while retaining a complex interior and emotional life. Do you understand why he speaks in pidgin, as he explains it to Sam Hamilton? How does his character change—in dress, speech, and action—over the course of the book? And why do you think Lee stays with the Trasks, instead of living on his own in San Francisco and pursuing his dream?

Women

Women in the novel are not always as fully realized as the main male characters. The great exception is Adam Trask's wife, Cathy, later Kate the brothel owner. Clearly Kate's evil is meant to be of biblical proportions. Can you understand what motivates her? Is she truly evil or does Steinbeck allow some traces of humanity in his characterization of her? What does her final act, for Aron Trask, indicate about her (well-hidden) emotions?

Sibling Rivalry

Sibling rivalry is a crushing reoccurrence in East of Eden. First Adam and his brother Charles, then Adam's sons Cal and Aron, act out a drama of jealousy and competition that seems fated: Lee calls the story of Cain and Abel the "symbol story of the human soul." Why do you think this is so, or do you disagree? Have you ever experienced or witnessed such a rivalry? Do all of the siblings in the book act out this drama or do some escape it? If so, how? If all of the "C" characters seem initially to embody evil and all the "A" characters good—in this novel that charts the course of good and evil in human experience—is it true that good and evil are truly separate? Are the C characters also good, the A characters capable of evil?

Race

Some of Steinbeck's ethnic and racial characterizations are loaded with stereotype. Yet he also makes extremely prescient comments about the role that many races played in the building of America, and he takes the time to give dignity to all types of persons. Lee is one example of a character that constantly subverts expectations. Can you think of other scenes or characters that might have challenged conventional notions in Steinbeck's time? In ours? How unusual do you think it might have been to write about America as a multicultural haven in the 1950s? And do you agree that that is what Steinbeck does, or do you think he reveals a darker side to American diversity?

Wealth

What constitutes true wealth in the book? The Hamiltons and the Trasks are most explicitly differentiated by their relationship to money: though Sam Hamilton works hard he accumulates little, while Adam Trask moons and mourns and lives off the money acquired by his father. Think of different times that money is sought after or rejected by characters (such as Will Hamilton and Cal Trask) and the role that it plays to help and hinder them in realizing their dreams. Does the quest for money ever obscure deeper desires?

Timshel

During the naming of the twins, Lee, Sam, and Adam have a long conversation about a sentence from Genesis, disagreeing over whether God has said an act is ordered or predetermined. Lee continues to think about this conversation and enlists the help of a group of Chinese philosophers to come to a conclusion: that God has given humans choice by saying that they may (the Hebrew word for "may," timshel, becomes a key trope in the novel), that people can choose for themselves. What is Steinbeck trying to say about guilt and forgiveness? About family inheritance versus free will? Think of instances where this distinction is important in the novel, and in your own life.

Cal and the end

The end of the novel and the future of the Trasks seems to rest with Cal, the son least liked and least understood by his father and the town. What does Cal come to understand about his relationship to his past and to each member of his family? The last scene between Adam and Cal is momentous; what exactly happens between them, and how hopeful a note is this profound ending? Why is Lee trying to force Cal to overturn the assumption that lives are "all inherited"? What do you think Cal's future will be?

December 2011: Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans

Marc

Marc claims that Beth is the only woman he’s ever loved, yet he’s cheated on her for many years. Do you believe he really loves Beth? Do you think he ever loved her? What do you think his true motives are for finally confessing to Beth?

The clues

If Matthew hadn’t confessed the truth, it’s likely Beth would never have discovered that he is her future son-in-law. When did you first suspect that Matthew might be from the future? Identify the clues the author gives along the way

Trust

In Promise Me Beth experiences a number of hardships and heartbreaks. She believes that she has brought these on herself, because she allowed herself to trust people. How can trust get you into trouble? What do you give up if you won’t, or can’t, trust others?

The money

Roxanne thinks Beth is a fool for sending Matthew away after he gives her a two million dollar check—the winnings from the bet he placed using her home equity loan. While it doesn’t change the fact that he stole, Roxanne notes that he could have easily skipped town with the winnings. What if he’d lost? Do you think the ends justify the means? What do you think of Beth’s decision to put him down as a co-signer on the loan after knowing him for such a short time?

Who Matthew is

Matthew’s revelation—that he is in fact Charlotte’s future husband—stuns Beth. But in Beth’s timeline, Charlotte is still a child. She’ll never be hurt if Matthew chooses to stay with her mother instead of returning to his own present to be with her. So why doesn’t Beth ask him to stay? What would you do?

10 months

What would you do if you had only ten months with someone you loved and money was no object? If you suddenly had only a limited time left with someone you loved, would you wish you’d never met them at all rather than suffer the pain of losing them? Why or why not?

Hindsight is 20/20

Beth suggests that if she’d known Marc would cheat on her, she’d never have married him. But Matthew argues she would have, because otherwise she wouldn’t have had Charlotte. Every choice we make in life has consequences. If you could relive your life knowing what you know now, what would you do differently? What wouldn’t you change?

A Younger self

At one point, Beth and Matthew discuss what would happen if they ran into his parents, or his ten-year-old self, in Capri. Would you want to see yourself as a child if you could? What, if anything, would you say?

Matthew

To Beth, Matthew seems like the perfect guy—an angel sent to save Beth from a life of loneliness. . Beth writes in her diary, “I have wondered if those who say ‘it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’ have ever lost their loved.” (p. 286) How do you feel about this observation? Do you think Beth would ultimately agree or disagree that it’s better to have loved and lost? What does Matthew do for Beth besides give her another lost love to grieve?

The ending

The author leads Matthew—and us—to believe that Matthew will return to 2008 only to lose Charlotte. We don’t even know if he’ll remember his extraordinary journey to the past. How did you feel about the ending? Were you satisfied? Why or why not?

November 2011: The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Share your thoughts

What were your thoughts as you read the book?

What did you know before?

A classic is something everyone thinks they should read, but no one has. Mark Twain. What, if anything, did you know about John Bunyan’s classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress before reading it?

Leaving family behind

How did you feel when Christian left his family?

Off the path

Christian and Hopeful accidentally leave the narrow path and enter By-path Meadow. They hardly knew they had done it until they find themselves in danger. Have you ever been surprised to find yourself walking a different path than the one God put you on?

Ignorance

Why do you think Bunyan chose to end the first part of his book with the damnation of Ignorance, a relatively minor character, rather than the arrival of Christian in the Celestial City?

Caricatures

Bunyan's characters are universal. They are types or caricatures which can be found in all times and places. Can you think of people you know who could step into the shoes of characters like Talkative and Ignorance? Did other characters remind you of people in your real life?

An encouragement to believers?

The Pilgrim’s Progress is not intended as a gospel tract. Most of the story is about Christian’s journey. Bunyan intended for the story of Christian and Christiana’s journey to be an encouragement to believers and to stir the apathetic to take action and to grow in their Christian journey. Do you think he succeeded?

October 2011: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Thoughts

What are your thoughts on this book? Was there anything you wanted to talk about that wasn't mentioned in the other questions?

Favorite

Who was your favorite character? Why?

Hilly

What do you think motivated Hilly? On one hand she is terribly cruel to Aibileen and her own help, as well as to Skeeter once she realizes that she can't control her. Yet she's a wonderful mother. Do you think that one can be a good mother and, at the same time, a deeply flawed person?

Skeeters mom

Skeeter's mother is a prime example of someone deeply flawed yet somewhat sympathetic. She seems to care for Skeeter- and she also seems to have very real feelings for Constantine. Yet the ultimatum she gives Constantine is untenable, and most of her interaction with Skeeter is critical. Do you think Skeeter's mother is a sympathetic or an unsympathetic character? Why?

the times

How much of a person's character would you say is shaped by the times in which he or she lives?

Stuart

Did it bother you that Skeeter was willing to overlook so many of Stuart's faults so that she could get married, and that it wasn't until he literally got up and walked away that the engagement fell apart?

Minny

Do you believe that Minny was justified in her distrust of white people?

Mae

Do you think that had Aibileen stayed working for Miss Elizabeth, Mae Mobley would have grown up to be racist like her mother? Do you think racism is inherent or taught?

Aibileen

The author manages to paint Aibileen with a quiet grace and an aura of wisdom about her. How do you think she does this?

Minny's pie

What did you think about Minny's pie for Miss Hilly? Would you have gone as far as Minny did for revenge?

September 2011: What are you reading?

If you have chosen to skip Water for Elephants this month what are you reading instead? Tell us what you have read this month and what you thought of it!

September 2011: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

As you all know from the email I sent around I will not have discussion questions up for this book. If you have read it or read part of it feel free to discuss in the comments.

August 2011: A Wrinkle in time by Madeleine L' Engle

Overall thoughts and reactions

What were your thoughts as you were reading this book?

The Mrs.'

Discuss what Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which might represent?

The Conflicts

What are the conflicts in A Wrinkle in Time? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional)?

Symbols

What are some symbols in A Wrinkle in Time? How do they relate to the plot and characters?

Characters

Do you find the characters likable? Are the characters persons you would want to meet?

The ending

Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why?

Purpose

What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?

Controversial

Why is the novel often considered controversial? Would you ban (or censor) this book?

July 2011: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier