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?