Oh, William

How does the novel present WWII? How and to what extent does this conflict overshadow the protagonists’ lives?

What role do clothes play in the narrative? How does Strout use them as a motif that conveys the subtleties of social mobility and class-based anxiety?

How does Strout make use of metafictional elements in her novel? How does Lucy’s success as an author impact her experiences in Maine?

What role does the rural Maine landscape play in the novel? How does it help William and Lucy understand themselves and their family’s pasts?

Describe William and Lucy’s relationship. To what extent do these characters know and understand each other? Perform a close reading of at least two scenes in your answer.

How would you describe the dynamic between Catherine and Wilhelm? How does Strout complicate Catherine’s original narrative and to what extent do you think there is a singular version of this story?

How does Strout treat the theme of visibility in her novel? How do different characters deal with the plight of not being visible?

To what extent do you think Lucy and Catherine have lived out the reality of the American dream? How do these women’s experiences of transcending poverty compare?