Since the release of Walk to the End of the World and Motherlines, the feminist movement has experienced both soaring victories and stinging setbacks. On one side, unprecedented numbers of women are now stepping into universities, graduate programs, and even medical schools. Conversely, the stubborn wage gap between men and women performing equivalent roles remains disappointingly unchanged. Although more women have taken seats in Congress than ever before, the Equal Rights Amendment still eludes passage. Many veteran feminists express a sense of disconnection from the younger generation, whose members often seem oblivious to the arduous struggles their predecessors endured to win today's freedoms. Meanwhile, writers like Camille Paglia and Christina Hoff Sommers seem to have distanced themselves, at least in part, from the feminist ethos of the 1970s. The exploration of The Furies must be framed within the intricate sexual politics of the mid-1990s. While The Furies stands as a novel of triumph, it does not shy away from bitter truths, mirroring Charnas's perception of the current American feminist landscape.

Exploring Societal Shifts

1. As The Furies unfolds, we are thrust many years beyond the narratives of Motherlines. What transformations have rippled through the society of the Free Ferns during this passage of time? Moreover, how have the Riding Women evolved?

Symbolic Reflections

2. When The Furies emerged, it was approximately fifteen years after Motherlines. To what degree could the societal changes within Free Fern and Holdfast represent broader shifts in our own world?

Provocative Beginnings

3. The early depiction of a mutilated Holdfast male is gruesome and seems almost intended to provoke some readers. What might have inspired Charnas to commence her novel with such a startling image?

Setteo's Role and Literary Echoes

4. What function does the eunuch Setteo serve in the story? Do any parallels between Setteo and the jesters or clowns in Shakespeare's plays, particularly those in King Lear and Twelfth Night, come to mind?

The Desire for Revenge

5. While delving into The Furies, to what extent did you empathize with the Free Ferns' thirst for vengeance? How successful are they in achieving the retribution they seek?

Critiquing New Faith

6. Centered around a nascent women's religion, Daya stands at its heart, yet it is clear that neither Alldera nor Charnas hold it in high regard. What fundamentally flawed aspects exist within Daya's belief system?

Reconciliation Analysis

7. How plausible do you find the reconciliation between Alldera and Eykar Bek?

The Paradox of Necessity

8. While the Riding Women have sidestepped the need for men through parthenogenic reproduction, the Free Ferns face extinction without them. Yet, some still passionately advocate for the extermination of males. How do you interpret this paradox?

Nature Versus Nurture

9. A significant debate in gender studies revolves around whether traits traditionally labeled as male or female are intrinsic or shaped by environment. The proclivity for violence in males is a key point of scrutiny. Does Charnas suggest that men are intrinsically more violent than women? Consider nuanced responses.

Classical Connections

10. The title of Charnas's novel nods to The Furies from classical mythology, renowned for relentlessly pursuing sinners and exacting punishment. They are famously noted for chasing Orestes after he slays his mother Clytemnestra. What parallels do you draw between these mythic Furies and the women within Charnas's narrative?