State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett

Characters
Minnesota	Brazil, Amazon River
Vogel Labs Mr. Jim Fox - CEO Marina Singh – student of Dr. Swenson’s Anders Eckman Karen – wife Three sons	Lakashi Tribe – females able to reproduce until end of life Dr. Swenson – 70 years old, studying fertility, Dr. Rapp’s mistress Bovenders Barbara – writer Jackie – surfer Milton Rodrigo – brother-in-law, store owner Easter Dr. Martin Rapp – Harvard ethnobotanist, deceased 9 years when Mariana arrives Dr. Thomas Nkomo – studying malaria Dr. Alan Saturn – student of Dr. Rapp’s, studying malaria Dr. Nancy Saturn – Alan’s wife and possibly former student, botanist Dr. Budi – Studying malaria Benoit – attended missionary school as child, wants to work in tourism Rapp mushrooms – hallucinogenic, pale blue Martins – trees, prolongs fertility and prevents malaria Purple Martinet – moth – goes into wound of tree, eats and then excretes Fertility is from combination of tree and martinet

For discussion:

1.       Review the incident when Mariana delivered the baby because Dr. Swenson did not come when paged.   She accidentally blinded and scarred the baby.  Who do you think was at fault?  Why?

2.       Were you surprised that Dr. Swenson did not remember Mariana?

3.       Do you think Mr. Fox was correct to want Mariana to stay after she found Dr. Swenson and confirmed that she was still working on the drug? 

4.       On page 143 of the hardback, Dr. Swenson states, “None of us know how life will work out, Dr. Singh.”   Has this been true in your own life?

5.       Were you surprised that Dr. Swenson was pregnant?  There were several hints throughout the book:

a.       Page 159 of hardback – on the boat Dr. Swenson was “panting lightly as if making an effort not to vomit.”

b.      Page 167 – “She was thicker around the middle than she had been in Baltimore.” (Mariana of Dr. Swenson)

c.       Page 167 – “From all I know about the body this is still not what I expected.” (Dr. Swenson)

6.       Review the incident at the beginning of Dr. Swenson’s time in the Amazon when she treated a girl who had been cut on her head by her brother.  After that people started to come to her for medical treatment and she felt this hindered her research.  She stated that was a mistake to intervene, that she should have let their world progress as if she was not there.  Do you agree?

7.       Discuss how Dr. Swenson used compliments – not to build up the person being complimented but to knock down another who was not complimented.  Have you ever met anyone like this?  Do you think Dr. Swenson would have been able to accomplish as much as she did if she had treated people more kindly?

8.       Consider Marina’s dreams of her father.  How do these memories affect her current situation?

9.       Anders wanted to take Easter to the United States to live with his family.  How do you think this would have worked out?

10.   Why did Dr. Swenson say that Anders was dead when she did not know for sure?  What did happen to Anders?

11.   Was it ethical to have Vogel Labs pay for all of the science when they only thought they were paying for the fertility drug?

12.   Was it right for Mariana to trade Easter for Anders?  Was it right for Dr. Swenson to keep Easter in the first place?

13.   What do you think happened to Easter?  Did he find his way back to Dr. Swenson?

14.   Do you think Mariana will go back as Dr. Swenson predicted?