Suggested Essay Topics
Chapter 1 - Ruby
1. What specific details most made an impression on you? Which details seemed
to communicate a mood?
2. Try to describe the personalities, beliefs, and histories of the men, based on the descriptions of them in this chapter. In particular, explore their feelings about what they are doing. Hints and indications of their feelings can be found throughout the chapter.
Chapter 2 - Mavis
1. What do you think of Mavis? Describe her based on what you learned in this
chapter. Evaluate her strengths and weaknesses. Would you want to have her as a
friend? Why or why not?
2. What are your impressions of the Convent and of the two women we meet there, Connie and Mother? What sense do you get of the place? Use specific details from the chapter.
Chapter 3 - Grace
1. How would you describe the conflict between Gigi’s way of living and that of
the citizens of Ruby? Look at the information in this chapter and think about
how Ruby is described in the first chapter. What similarities and differences
do you see between the rules that govern this young woman and how this
community of individuals lives? Could people learn from each other in this
situation? What problems might develop?
2. What would you say are Gigi’s best and worst qualities? We see her interact with many different people in this chapter. Do you think she is a good person? Why or why not? What words would you choose to describe her, and why?
Chapter 4 - Seneca
1. What do you think of Seneca? What impressions do you get from her? Review
the chapter carefully and combine the facts given with what you feel and might
assume about her as a character. Support what you say with details.
2. What is your impression of Ruby, based on what you have learned in this chapter? How do you see its problems, and what solutions might you suggest, if you had the opportunity?
Chapter 5 - Divine
1. Why would religious differences in Ruby add to the difficulties the town is
having? How might the people who founded Haven, so long before, have avoided
these problems?
2. One character we learn far more about in this chapter is Richard Misner. What had we learned about him in the previous chapters, and what new information and insights does this chapter provide? How has your opinion of him changed?
Chapter 6 - Patricia
1. Why do you think Patricia reacted the way she did to her discoveries about
the 8-Rocks? Do you think she did the right thing by burning the papers? Why or
why not? What would you have done?
2. One of the many characters we have learned about is Billie Delia. Have your feelings about her changed during the course of the novel? Why or why not? What information do you feel is most important when it comes to understanding her? Who would you say is responsible for her troubles?
Chapter 7 - Consolata
1. Why would it be easier for Consolata to change life in the Convent than it
would be for Deacon, Steward, Richard Misner, or anyone one else to do the same
kind of things in Ruby? Try to explain exactly what Consolata does, and try to
imagine how someone might do something similar in Ruby.
2. Why do you think the women in the Convent would be willing to listen to Consolata? Describe her teachings, especially the creation of the templates. What do you think was the point of that exercise? What would the...
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women stand to gain or lose by listening to her?
Chapter 8 - Lone
1. This chapter might be the most intense part of the novel. What were your
feelings as you read this chapter? What parts of the chapter had the greatest
effect on you? Why those parts?
2. Based on the entire novel, but most of all on how we see the twins in this chapter, which of the brothers is the stronger man?
Chapter 9 - Save-Marie
1. How would you explain the phenomenon at the Convent? Do you think Lone
removed all evidence of the massacre? What other explanations could there be?
If Lone did remove the bodies, blood, and car, do you think it was the right
thing to do? Why or why not? What would you have done if you were in her
situation, and why?
2. Why do you think Sweetie felt the way she did about the Morgan brothers? What different kinds of harm had they done, if any? How would you feel, and what would you do, if you were Sweetie, or another member of the Fleetwood family?