The Piano Teacher, by Janice Lee

Characters
1941	1952
Will Truesdale Trudy Liang (Portuguese and Chinese) Wan Kee Liang – Trudy’s father Victor and Melody Chen – Trudy’s cousin Dommick Wong – Trudy’s friend and cousin Regionald Arbogast Ned Young - Canadian Otsubo Edwina Storch Mary Winkle	Claire Martin Will Truesdale Victor and Melody Chen Locket Reginald Arbogast – business man and party host Edwina Storch Mary Winkle

For discussion:

1.       Discuss the prisoners’ treatment in the detention camps.  At one point the author wrote, “And the random cruelty makes them all wary.”  How do you think the prisoners were able to survive their conditions?

2.       The three people who knew where the Crown Collection was hidden were Victor Chen, Edwina Storch and Reginald Arbogast. 

a.       Were you surprised that Edwina was such an important figure in this part of the story?

b.      Why did Edwina tell Otsubo that Trudy knew where the collection was?

3.       Discuss Claire and Martin.  Why did Claire begin to steal?  Why was Martin so uninvolved?

4.       Discuss Will’s role throughout the novel. 

a.       Discuss his and Claire’s relationship.  Who benefited and who was hurt?

5.       When did you begin to suspect that Locket was Trudy’s baby?  What were the clues?

6.       Discuss the writing style.  In the beginning there was very little detail about the historical setting for the novel.  This changed about the time in the story when the foreigners were imprisoned.  Did you like this?  Did it add or detract from the story?

Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte

Characters
Gateshead Hall	Lowood School	Thornfield	Marsh End/Moor House
Mrs. Reed John Eliza Georgiana Bessie – nurse	Mr. Brocklehurst Miss Temple – superintendent Helen Burns Teachers: Miss Smith Miss Scatcherd Madame Pierrot	Mr. Rochester Mrs. Fairfax Adela Varens Sophie – French nurse Grace Poole Blanche Ingram Mr. Mason Bertha Mason       Rochester	St. John Rivers Diana Rivers Mary Rivers Hannah – housekeeper Rosamond Oliver – heiress from town

For discussion:

1. Discuss Helen Burns’ philosophy and how it helped Jane in her present and future life:
1.  “Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs.” 
2. “If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends.”

2. What events from Jane’s early years helped her withstand the turmoil in your young adult life?

3. Jane seems quite joyless.  Did she find any pleasure in life?  If so, what?  What do you think would have brought her joy?

4. In chapter 14, when Jane met Mr. Rochester, he stated, “Dread remorse when you are tempted to err, Miss Eyre; remorse is the poison of life.”  Do you think Jane had any remorse in her life?  What about the other characters?

5. In chapter 21, when Jane went back to see a dying Mrs. Reed, were you disappointed in Mrs. Reed’s reaction?  What were you hoping would happen?

6. Discuss the party held at Thornfield in chapter 18 and Jane’s observation of the guests.  She stated that when she considered the environment in which they had been raised and lived, “the less I felt justified in judging and blaming either him or Miss Ingram for acting in conformity to ideas and principles instilled into them, doubtless, from their childhood.  All their class held these principles.” 
1. How did Jane’s upbringing form her personality?
2. How did the party guests’ upbringing compare to Jane’s? 

7. At the party in chapter 18, do you think the guests really would have been tricked into believing that Mr. Rochester was a gypsy fortune teller?

8. Discuss the characters in the novel.
1. Who did you like the most? Find the most sympathetic?
2. Who did you like the least?
3. Which characters added the most enjoyment or meaning to the novel?
4. Is there anyone or anything you would change?

9. This novel is often studied in high school and college literature classes.  Why do you think it is so important?

10. What themes did Charlotte Bronte address in the novel?  How successful was she?  Did she broaden your understanding of the time period or of people in general?

11. Think about your reading experience:
1. If you read this book before, did you enjoy it more or less the second time and at a different stage in your life?
2. Did you read every word or skim?
3. Which part did you find the most moving?

12. Discuss Charlotte Bronte’s writing style, particularly when Jane spoke directly to the reader, for example look at the beginning of chapter 11.