Olivia's subtitle, The Weight of the Past, emphasizes what should be a major avenue of exploration in this novel — the extent to which our past personal and cultural "baggage" controls our present actions. Discussion groups may wish to consider how a person's roots — being Catholic, Jewish, Italian, etc. — influence his/her thinking, drawing on both Rossner's characters and their own personal experiences. Patterns are also set by our past interactions with the people in our lives, as Caroline's and Olivia's expectations of each other are built on memories of their early years as mother and daughter. Rossner raises questions as to whether we can overcome these set ways of thinking. Whether the past is a source of strength or a handicap is a philosophical question worthy of in-depth exploration.

1. What is the "weight of the past" Rossner refers to in the subtitle to...