1. Would John Ridd: Yeoman of Exmoor have been a better name for this novel? Consider that Ridd, as narrator and hero, appears in many more scenes than Lorna does.

2. Some critics have compared John Ridd to Huckleberry Finn. Each tells his story in his own distinctive voice. Do you agree?

3. "Girt John Ridd" is a regional wrestling champion. Does Blackmore present this part of Ridd's character convincingly? How does Ridd's experience as a wrestler help him in his struggle against the Doones?

4. John Ridd is an attractive character. How does he convince the reader of this without resorting to bragging, something he says he hates to hear men do?

5. Lorna Doone, later Lorna Dugal, is a noblewoman. Even though she has lived with the savage Doones for years, her speech and behavior point to her upper-class background before her true identity is known. Is she a believable heroine?

6. Carver Doone is John Ridd's counterpart in the novel. Does Blackmore present him as simply an evil individual, or as the personification of an evil force?

7. How do Ruth Huckaback and John's sister Eliza differ from John Ridd's stereotypical ideas about women?

8. Is Carver Doone's father, the Counsellor, really any worse than Lord Jeffreys, a historical character Blackmore presents in Lorna Doone?

9. Blackmore insists that Lorna Doone is a romance rather than a historical novel. Does he succeed in blending fiction and history in his treatment of the Battle of Sedgemoor?

10. Blackmore has been acclaimed for his presentation of natural scenes in his books. Cite examples in Lorna Doone that justify this reputation.