|
Book
Club Questions for the Lake Emily Series · How do you feel Roy Morgan's words to Peter about a community being like
a can of peas connected to the vignettes? · Where does connection and purpose in life come from? Where did each of
the characters in A Can
of Peas find it? · Do you think there are still places like Lake Emily in America? If so,
how does that make you feel about America? · How does living in a small town differ from living in a city or the
suburbs? How is it the same? What makes that difference? · In what ways were Peter's preconceived ideas about country living
incorrect? Do you think people have unrealistic expectations about "the
simple country life"? · Peter had some lessons to learn about marriage. What were they? How do
you feel about how they resolved their differences? · Mae and Trudy are very different as sisters--what makes two people raised
by the same parents so unique? · Who is your favorite character and why? · Which is your favorite vignette and why? · What is your favorite scene and why? · What did you think of the chicken slaughtering scene? Do you think people
realize where their food really comes from in our country? · Why do you think Peter never understood that his father loved farming but
loved the violin more? Do you think children ever see their parents
realistically or is our vision of our parents always skewed by events in
our childhood and our perception of those events? Do parents see their
children realistically (ie Mae and Catherine, Peter and David, David and
Roy/Virginia...)? · In one scene the vet says that the rumor mill goes both ways--what did he
mean by that? How is that shown later in the book? · Virginia finds healing after the death of her husband in part
by becoming a book buddy and mentor to Jessie. How did you feel about
this storyline? What place do you think volunteerism plays in the fabric of
our communities and in our own lives? · What was your overall reaction to Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar? What emotions did the book evoke? If you
had a strong emotional reaction to it, what caused that? · Which parts of Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar stick most clearly in
your mind? Why? · Before you started to read, what were your expectations of Dandelions in a Jelly Jar? How far did it fulfill them? Were there any surprises? · What did you feel was the significance of the title Dandelions in a Jelly Jar? When did you realize the title’s significance? Who are the
“dandelions”? · Are there themes prevalent in Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar that speak to some
people and not others? · Much of Dandelions in a Jelly Jar dealt with the seasons of change in life. How do you think people manage
change in their life? · How is Trudy’s perspective on her childhood different from her sister
Mae’s? Do you believe that children raised in the same house can have
completely different perspectives on their childhood? If so, why do you think
that is? · What did you feel was the purpose of the short stories? How did these
stories from Lake Emily’s past connect with the main story? Did you feel they
were effective in creating the “atmosphere” of living in a small town? What
do you think are the challenges of the short story form for a writer? What
can be revealed of a character and a situation in a small space? · What is the main theme of Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar? · Dandelions in a Jelly Jar is set in a rural Minnesota town. Did you feel that Lake Emily was
authentic in its representation of small town life? What details are used to
evoke this fictional town? Does the setting contribute anything of
significance to the novel? How did the setting affect Trudy differently than
St. Paul? · How is Nature referred to or used in Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar? Consider the author's
use of natural environments, and weather. Do the moods of Nature mirror the
moods of characters? What do characters' attitudes to Nature reveal of their
personalities? · What did you find most interesting about the characters in Dandelions in a Jelly Jar? Are they well drawn? How well do we get to know them? Are characters
revealed through description, dialogue or action? Do we ever get inside their
heads does the writer allow us into the thought processes of characters,
and what is the effect of this? If the characters are stereotypes, is there a
reason for this? Do any of the characters seem totally original? If so, what
is their most memorable trait? Consider the things that motivate the
characters in the novel. · How far do you agree with the choices the characters make? Think of Trudy
Ploog, David Morgan, Steve and Jessie Wise, Virginia Morgan, Mae and Peter
Morgan. How much do you care about their struggles and problems? If you
become emotionally involved in characters' lives, how did this happen? Do the
characters in the novel have control of their own destinies? Explore the
relationship between Fate and free will in the novel. · What is important to the main characters in Dandelions in a Jelly Jar? · Consider the main relationships between characters. What do characters
reveal about themselves by their relationships? · How was the dialogue in Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar handled? Does it seem
natural? Do any of the characters have a particular way of talking that
reveals their personalities? · What is the function of all the secondary characters in Dandelions in a Jelly Jar? Are any particularly memorable? Why? Do any characters act as foils for
the main characters that is, do any of them reveal aspects of the main
characters to us when we compare and contrast them? · Did you anticipate the tornado toward the end of the story? What other
tornado themes run through Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar? · What do you find most interesting about the writer's style? Is it
unusual? Do you like it? How appropriate is the style to the story? Try to
pick out instances in the book which best illustrate the writer's style and
share them with your book group. · Has Dandelions in a Jelly Jar taught you anything surprising? Has the book changed your opinion? Why? · Who did you agree with on the issue of sports versus the arts in public
schools? Bert or Trudy? · How is tension built up in Dandelions
in a Jelly Jar, and how surprising
was the ending? · How did you feel about Virginia’s journey in Aprons on a Clothesline? · Do you think men or women have a harder time dealing with grief? What’s
the best way to handle grief? · Do you think David Morgan was being unreasonable in his treatment of
Virginia with her new beau? · What did you think of Fred Biddle’s Russian bride? Lillian’s reaction to
having a Russian daughter-in-law? · Who is your favorite character in the series? · If you were to write a fourth book, what would happen to the characters? |
