February 2013: Emma by Jane Austen

Classes

Describe the class and rank of various characters in the village of Highbury. Compare the positions of Mr. Weston, Mr. Elton, Miss Taylor, Harriet, and Emma with others in Highbury. How do matters of class affect the interaction of these characters, and would you describe class as being rigid or flexible as it is depicted by Jane Austen? To what extent can class be said to be of central importance to the development of the novel, since it is one of the most important considerations in marriage? Does class seem to be treated differently by those in Highbury than it does by outsiders, for example Frank Churchill and Mrs. Elton? Do you think it is significant that no woman in Highbury is of Emma's age and rank?

Mr. Knightley

How does the relationship between Mr. Knightley and Emma change throughout the course of the novel? Although Austen does not directly tell us what their relationship was like during Emma's childhood, their long and intimate friendship is established at the novel's opening. In light of their occasional quarrels and Knightley's criticisms of Emma, for example, the criticism he made on Box Hill, how does Mr. Knightley feel about Emma? Do Mr. Knightley's feelings change as the novel progresses? If they do, what incidents account for the changes in his feelings?

Emma and Harriet

Does Emma act as a good friend to Harriet Smith? Are Emma's concerns for Harriet's education and refinement born of an honest desire to help, or is it something less altruistic? Are Mr. Knightley's criticisms of Emma's interference with Mr. Martin's marriage proposal justified? Does Harriet ultimately benefit from Emma's friendship or her attempts to help her?

Matchmaking

While matchmaking is the central device in Emma, both for the plot and as a backdrop to develop characters, not all of the matches made in the novel are good. Compare the matches made between Mr. Weston and Miss Taylor, Emma and Mr. Knightley, Harriet and Mr. Martin, Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill, and Mr. Elton and Mrs. Elton. Which are good matches and which are bad? What character traits in the couples make them suited or unsuited for each other? Why are the mismatches so important to the story?

Emma

In the final analysis, is Emma a sympathetic character? Does she seem to have good intentions only marred by a slight desire to interfere with other people's lives, or is she thoughtless and unconcerned with the effects she has on others? In your estimation, is Emma ultimately moral or immoral? What specific incidents in the novel lead you to that conclusion?

January 2013: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes

The Power of a Word

We’re introduced to the ever-important Word at the very beginning of the book. In what ways does the Word hold power in the story? In what ways do words hold power in your life? Are there times when words can serve as weapons? When do words become tools for good?

A Word

If you were to choose one special word that would best describe or define you, what would it be? Explain the significance of your choice.

Dangerous Knowledge

Jason and Rachel go on a quest for knowledge in A World Without Heroes as they search for the hidden syllables of the Word. How might you consider knowledge a prize in our world? Can knowledge ever be dangerous to us, as it is in Lyrian?

Galloran

Reflect on Galloran’s definition of a hero. What is your definition of hero? Whom would you consider heroes in your life?

Jason and Rachel

How did Jason and Rachel’s relationship change from the beginning of the book to the end? At what points did you notice a shift in how they interacted?

Maldor

Maldor is a ruthless ruler. He proves to be quite cunning in his methods for keeping control of Lyrian. How was his idea for Harthenham strategic in this way? In what other ways do Maldor and his followers (Copernum, for instance) make sure that no one would overrule him?

Ferrin

Ferrin plays a unique role in A World Without Heroes. What is your take on Ferrin? How would you explain Ferrin’s actions? Do you agree with them?

Destiny

Jasher says to Jason, “For each of us destiny is a blend of potential, circumstances, and choices." What does destiny mean to you? Do you believe in destiny?

December 2012: In The Dark Streets Shineth by David McCullough

Thoughts?

I am kind of copping out on this one because it is so far behind.. but what were your thoughts on this book? Anything you would care to share?

November 2012: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

What is Mere Christianity?

“There has been a great deal of soft soap talked about God for the last hundred years. That is not
what I am offering.” What, in your opinion, is Lewis offering us in Mere Christianity?

Enemy territory

What did you make of Lewis’ analogy of Christians as “living in enemy territory”? Is this a
biblical principle? In what other ways might the analogy be applicable to our lives?

A great moral teacher

Despite Lewis’ famous words about the foolishness of accepting Christ simply as “a great
moral teacher,” it seems that many people today still take that attitude towards Jesus. Why?

Pride

“The essential vice, the utmost evil, is pride.” Why does Lewis say so? Do you agree? How do we recognize pride in (a) others, (b) ourselves?
What should our reaction be?

Faith

“Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing
moods.” Would you agree with this definition of faith?

outside view

Do you find Lewis’ picture of God as outside time, viewing the whole of it at once, helpful?

fear

Lewis says that we are “naturally afraid” of the spiritual world. Should we be scared of it? If so,
why? If not, is our fear due to a wrong understanding of the spiritual world or a wrong reaction
to it?

The lesser of two evils

“The devil… sends errors into the world in pairs – pairs of opposites. And he always encourages
us to spend a lot of time thinking which is the worse… He relies on your extra dislike of the one
error to draw you gradually into the opposite one.” Can you think of any particular errors
Christians might be tempted to make out of a frantic desire to avoid their opposites?

humans

“Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being.” Is Lewis telling us never to trust
anybody?

Perfection

Is it possible to be perfect, as Christ told us to be? In what way(s)?

Niceness

“A world of nice people, content in their own niceness, looking no further, turned away from
God, would be just as desperately in need of salvation as a miserable world – and might even be
more difficult to save.” Do you agree that “niceness” can make people more difficult to save?
How?

Gaining by losing

It’s one of Lewis’ main premises that in turning to Christ we become real personalities, and more
ourselves. Do you agree that in order to gain your life you must lose it? What does the losing
involve?

Your view

Did reading this book make you view what it means to be a Christian in a new light?
Specifically, how?

October 2012: The Hobbit or There and Back Again by JRR Tolkien

Overall

What were your thoughts in general? Are you planning on seeing the movie?

Trolls

Why is it important that Gandalf is not present when the expedition
meets the trolls?

Goblins

What does Tolkien tell us about Goblins?

Bilbo and Gollum

How are Bilbo and Gollum alike? What skills does Bilbo show in dealing
with Gollum?

The ring

Why doesn't Bilbo tell the dwarves about his ring?

Beorn

Discuss Beorn's character. Is he virtuous? Vicious?

Gandalf

Why is it necessary that Gandalf leave the expedition ?

Arkenstone

Why does Bilbo give up the Arkenstone? Why does he return to the Mountain?

Home again

What does Bilbo gain from his adventure? How does he feel about home upon his return?

September 2012: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Start of the journey

At the start of his journey, when Santiago asks a Gypsy woman to interpret his dream about a treasure in the Egyptian pyramids, she asks for one-tenth of the treasure in return. When Santiago asks the old man to show him the path to the treasure, the old man request one-tenth of his flock as "payment". Both payments represent a different price we have to pay to fulfill a dream; however, only one will yield a true result. Which payment represents false hope? Can you think of examples from your own life when you had to give up something to meet a goal and found the price too high?

Personal Legend

Paulo Coelho once said that alchemy is all about pursuing our spiritual quest in the physical world as it was given to us. It is the art of transmuting the reality into something sacred, of mixing the sacred and the profane. With this in mind, can you define your Personal Legend? At what time in your life were you first able to act on it? What was your "beginner's luck"? Did anything prevent you from following it to conclusion? Having read The Alchemist, do you know what inner resources you need to continue the journey?

Diversion

One of the first major diversions from Santiago's journey was the theft of his money in Tangier, which forced him into taking a menial job with the crystal merchant. There, Santiago learned many lessons on everything from the art of business to the art of patience. Of all these, which lessons were the most crucial to the pursuit of his Personal Legend?

The Crystal Merchant

When he talked about the pilgrimage to Mecca, the crystal merchant argued that having a dream is more important than fulfilling it, which is what Santaigo was trying to do. Do you agree with Santiago's rationale or the crystal merchant's?

The Englishman

The Englishman, whom Santiago meets when he joins the caravan to the Egyptian pyramids, is searching for "a universal language, understood by everybody." What is that language? According to the Englishman, what are the parallels between reading and alchemy? How does the Englishman's search for the alchemist compare to Santiago's search for a treasure? How did the Englishman and Santiago feel about each other?

The alchemist

The alchemist tells Santiago "you don't even have to understand the desert: all you have to do is to contemplate a simple grain of sand, and you will see in it all the marvels of creation". With this in mind, why do you think the alchemist chose to befriend Santiago, though he knew that the Englishman was the one looking for him? What is the meaning of two dead hawks and the falcon in the oasis? At one point the alchemist explains to Santiago the secret of successfully turning metal into gold. How does this process compare to finding a Personal Legend?

Why?

Why did Santiago have to go through the dangers of tribal wars on the outskirts of the oasis in order to reach the Pyramids? At the very end of the journey, why did the alchemist leave Santiago alone to complete it?

Treasures

Earlier in the story, the alchemist told Santiago "when you possess great treasures within you, and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed." At the end of the story, how did this simple lesson save Santiago's life? How did it lead him back to the treasure he was looking for?