East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Characters
Trask	Hamilton	Others
Cyrus – father Alice – second wife Adam – first son, born to first wife Charles – second son Cathy Ames – married Adam Caleb (Cal) Aaron Fraternal twins	Samuel – father Liza – mother George Will – second son, successful business man in Salinas, CA Tom Joseph – favored son Una Lizzie Dessie – never married, owned dress shop in Salinas Olive – mother of narrator Mollie	Mr. Edwards – whoremaster Faye – madam, killed by Cathy/Kate Joe Valery – Cathy/Kate’s assistant Mr. and Mrs. Bacon – county supervisor Abra – daughter, father wanted a son Lee – Chinese cook for Trasks in Salinas, CA

For discussion:

1. Think about the characters. 
1. What were their motivations?
2. How did their life experiences form their adult personalities?
3. Who did you like, not like?  Why?

2. Discuss Lee.  He was highly educated yet spoke pidgin.  Why?

3. Lee said of Samuel Hamilton that he was, “one of the rare people who can separate your observation from your preconception.  You see what is, where most people see what they expect.”  What examples can you think of where people see only what they expect?  How can we counter this natural human trait?

4. Discuss the relationship between Charles and Adam compared to Cal and Aron.  What similarities and differences did you observe?

5. When Cal gave Adam the gift of $15,000, were you surprised at Adam’s reaction?  Why did he react that way?  Why then did Cal react the way he did. 
1. What did you think when Cal burnt the money. 

6. In chapter 47, section 3, Aron reflected that he had made a mistake sexually. What was it?  Why did he do it?

7. Discuss the end where Cal took Aron to Kate’s.  Why did he do that?  Were you surprised that he did so? 
1. Discuss Aron’s reaction.  Why did he enlist in the military?
8. Were you surprised at the end when Cal ended up with Abra?  Why do you think Abra loved Aron first? 

9. Discuss the word timshel, thou mayest.   What was the importance of this word?  How does it pertain to the novel and characters?
1. Lee said, “that word carried a man’s greatness if he wanted to take advantage of it.”
2. Timshel was the second to last sentence in the novel and the word Adam spoke to Cal when he confessed to taking Aron to Kate’s.

10. Think about your reading experience.  Was it enjoyable?  Why or why not?

11. Do you think John Steinbeck had a message he wanted the reader to understand after reading this novel?  What message or understanding did you take away from your reading?

A Reliable Wife, Richard Goolrick

Characters
Part I: Wisconsin - Fall 1907	Part II: St. Louis - Winter 1908	Part III: Wisconsin - Winter/Spring 1908
Ralph Truitt Emilia – wife Francesca – daughter, scarlet fever Antonio – son of Emilia and piano teacher Mr. and Mrs. Larson Catherine Land Alice –sister India – friend, got arsenic and cure	Tony Moretti (Antonio) Catherine Alice Pinkerton Agents: Mr. Malloy and Mr. Fisk	Ralph Catherine Antonio/Tony

For discussion:

1.       Discuss each character:

a.       What were their motives?

b.      What was their history?

c.       How did their history influence their current personality?

d.      Who was the most sympathetic?  The most and least likeable?

2.       Does Catherine’s need justify her becoming a whore?  Contrast this to Alice – the author stated that she was worse than Catherine because she did not need to become a whore (page 172 of paperback.)   Does need justify the action?

3.       Why do you think Alice rejected Catherine after all Catherine had done for her?

4.       Discuss Antonio’s relationship with Ralph.  Was he taking out his anger at his mother on Ralph?

5.       On page 266 of the paperback, Antonio reflected on how he had hurt Catherine repeatedly and how he was sorry.  Is this a comparison to Ralph and Antonio?

6.       Discuss the terrible things people did in the town (murder, suicide, man ate dictionary and died [page 213], Mr. Larson amputated his hand, etc.)  Why did they do this?  Can you understand their actions?

7.       When did you begin to suspect that Catherine and Tony had planned the events from the beginning?

8.       Did you like the way the author withheld Catherine’s story until toward the end of the novel?  Did that add to your enjoyment?

9.       How was Ralph able to forgive Catherine at the end of the novel?  He stated (page 291) that he had always known about Catherine and Antonio.  How do you think he was able to forgive her and continue to live with her?

a.       On page 280 the author wrote that Ralph would also have forgiven Antonio.  Is this realistic?

10.   On page 281 the author wrote that this was “just a story about despair.”  Did you find any joy or redeeming qualities in the characters and story line?

11.   The author is a male.  Did this surprise you?