Small Great Things, by Jodi Picoult

NOTE:  One of my favorite quotes is “No two persons ever read the same book” by Edmund Wilson (1895-1971), a literary critic and writer.  My book group had a very interesting discussion about this book.  (We are all female, white, upper middle class and retired.)  The members who were nurses had trouble with the post-it note, saying that it was definitely against protocol in the hospitals where they had worked.   Another member was not able to finish the book because she found it too upsetting.  I have heard Peggy McIntosh speak (see the Bibliography) so had some previous experience with the idea of invisible racism.   I thought the book was extremely well written, important and addressed a topic that many people have not even considered.  It will be interesting to see how it is received by future generations.

Characters
Main	Others
Ruth Jefferson Edison – son Rachel >> Adisa – sister Hollowell family – employed Ruth’s mother as a maid Christine – daughter – childhood friend of Ruth’s Turk Bauer – White Supremacist Brittany – first wife Davis – deceased infant Tanner – Turk’s brother, killed in auto accident with black man Francis Mitchum – Brittany’s father Kennedy McQuarrie – Public Defender Micah – husband Violet – daughter Wallace Mercy – TV host Odette Lawton - prosecutor	Marie – Charge Nurse Corinne – friend Raine Tesco – introduce Turk to White Supremacist Group, later dropped out Howard – new to Public Defenders Office, black Roarke Matthews – Turk’s lawyer Deborah – Turk’s second wife Carys – daughter Judge Thunder

 For Discussion

NOTE:  Page numbers are from the hardback edition.

1. Discuss the significance of the title.  Was it appropriate?
2. On page 49, Ruth thought that having a newborn and a teenager are similar because both are “…incapable of saying exactly what it is that’s causing pain.”  Do you think this is a good analogy?
3. What did you think Ruth should have done when Davis stopped breathing?
4. Should Marie or Corinne share some of the blame because they left Ruth alone with the baby?
5. Compare Ruth’s and Kennedy’s account of their luncheon meeting.  Kennedy’s chapter is on pages 188-197 and Ruth’s on 198-204.
6. Review Ruth’s explanation about how she feels in Kennedy’s chapter after Ruth’s statement in court (Pages 407-408).  For example, one thing Ruth says is that “But did you ever think our misfortune is directly related to your good fortune.”   Did the author do a good job of showing Ruth’s feelings?  Were you able to understand how she felt?
7. Kennedy said on two different occasions that she doesn’t even see color.  Do you think this is realistic or possible?
8. After their shopping trip when Kennedy and Ruth were sharing true confessions, Ruth stated that, “The reason we don’t talk about race is because we do not speak a common language” (page 265).  Do you think this is true?
9. Discuss the different characters.   Which character would you like to talk to in real life?  What were their various points of view and how did they change, if at all, throughout the novel?  Did the author do a good job of showing each character’s views?  
10. Was the ending and Brit’s discovery realistic?   Why would Brit’s father still pursue White Supremacy knowing about Brit’s mother?
11. Did the book make you think of race differently?  Were there any specific events in the book that surprised you or made you think?
12. Do you think the book would change anyone’s mind?
13. Would you have read this book differently if the author was a different race instead of white?   Would readers of different races understand the book differently?
14. How do you think this book will be discussed 20-30+ years from now?

*****
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