1. What was it like to read a novel composed entirely of letters? What do letters offer that no other form of writing (not even emails) can convey?
Right away this book reminded me of “Daddy Long Legs” by Jean Webster (great book!) which was written in the letter form. I really like it—letters are personal in a different way than regular conversations and, though cautious, I think there was so much humor in this form! I loved thinking (and remembering in my life) about the anticipation of a letter in the mail. In a tangible way you feel close to the person who wrote you—you are holding the paper they themselves touched! In this modern email world, a written word can be a treasure!
3. Dawsey first wrote to Juliet because books, on Charles Lamb or otherwise, were so difficult to obtain on Guernsey in the aftermath of the war. What differences did you note between bookselling in the novel and bookselling in your world? What makes book lovers unique, across all generations?
(p.15) “No one in their right mind would take up clerking in a bookstore for the salary, and no one in his right mind would want to own one—the margin of profit is too small. So, it has to be a love of readers and reading that makes them do it—along with first dibs on the new books.” Doesn't this quote say it all? I've never really known a small, independent book shop but I do enjoy the large book stores of our day. Being in a book store somehow feels like an escape from the outside world (provided I'm not reading newspapers or magazines, which I don't do in a book store). I also like the cozy little cafes associated with the bigger book stores.
4. What were your first impressions of Dawsey? How was he different from the other men Juliet had known?
For some reason I at first thought he was a female –I have never heard the name Dawsey before and didn’t automatically think of a man being so passionate about a book. I loved the first description of his character by Amelia. This is the first time in the story that someone else talks about him.
(p.37) “I don’t believe he is aware of it, but Dawsey has a rare gift for persuasion—he never asks for anything for himself, so everyone is eager to do what he asks for others.”
What a compliment and what a rare person to be that selfless. Right then I realized he was a worthy person to know. It took me a while to place his age—at first thought he was a young farmer, then an aged farmer. I never did get quite comfortable with him being 40ish—I have a difficult time visualizing him.
I thought she was going to fall in love with Sidney! I was honestly really suprised when he turned out to be gay! Didn't see that one coming!
5. Discuss the poets, novelists, biographers, and other writers who capture the hearts of the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Well I’m definitely curious about Charles Lamb now! I was dismayed each time an author was mentioned who I was NOT familiar with!
I was fired up right along with Clovis when he was so upset by “The Oxford Book of Modern Verse, 1892-1935” for not including any poetry from WWI because, according to Mr. Yeats, “Passive suffering is not a theme for poetry.” (p.73) What an interesting insight!
10. How did Remy’s presence enhance the lives of those on Guernsey? Through her survival, what recollections, hopes, and lessons also survived?
I feel bad about this but I didn’t ever feel a strong connection with Remy. She suffered the most of anyone in the story (except Elizabeth) and she has arguably the most to overcome in her future, but since she never really bonded with anyone on Guernsey or corresponded with Juliet, she was a distant character for me. Maybe I need to re-read these parts.
13. What historical facts about life in England during World War II were you especially surprised to discover? What traits, such as remarkable stamina, are captured in a detail such as potato peel pie?
The thought of sending my children away, and then not hearing from them for years, is heartbreaking. I can't even discuss it further than this quick mention of it. It puts me in tears.
No news or outside communication for 5 years. Can't imagine! I venture to say this would be more difficult in our day--we are so addicted to news, information at the tip of our fingers. If something like this happened to us now, the isolation would be unbearable.
I thought it was interesting the comparison between the ways the war affected Guernsey vs. the mainland. Guernsey was occupied by German soldiers, short on food, witness to the work camps, etc and it seemed pretty bad. But when you compared it to the bombing of entire cities and neighborhoods, Guernsey almost seemed like they were better off? Any thoughts on this?
In what ways does fiction provide a means for more fully understanding a non-fiction truth?
I liked how I got a feel for the people's everyday lives, without getting too caught up in war details. Non-fiction just can't capture the emotion, bravery, strength in the same way. Even in the midst of war, people still LIVED. That is fascinating--
15. Do you agree with Isola that “reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones”?
YES! I love this thought (p.10) “Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.” When I read good books I smile, I think, I want to talk about it, I appreciate that it was worth my time. I am so frustrated when my time is wasted by a bad book.
A discussion question of my own: Was anyone else bugged by the change in writing at the end of the book...when the story was told by Isola instead of through the letters? I liked the plot, how Juliet realized Dawsey loved her by keeping "mementos" of her, but I was kind of bugged that I heard it from someone else's voice.
Some of my other favorite quotes (weren't there a lot of good quotes in this book?) These would make interesting discussion points too.
(p70 Juliet) “The war is now the story of our lives, and there’s no subtracting it.”
(p.116 Juliet) “Have you ever noticed that when your mind is awakened or drawn to someone new, that person’s name suddenly pops up everywhere you go? My friend Sophie calls it coincidence, and Mr. Simpless, my parson friend, calls it Grace. He thinks that if one cares deeply about someone or something new one throws a kind of energy out into the world and “fruitfulness” is drawn in.”
(p274 Juliet—last page in book) “Think of it! We could have gone on longing for one another and pretending not to notice forever. This obsession with dignity can ruin your life if you let it.”
1 comment:
Excellent quotes. There were so many good ones. I also loved Daddy Long legs as a girl and might have to reread it again since you reminded me of it!
Post a Comment