Discuss abandonment. What does it mean to be abandoned? In how many ways is Mary abandoned throughout the course of the novel? Do you think these acts affect her personality and the person she becomes in adulthood?

Why does Adelaide abandon her family? Do you think she is a bad mother because of this? Were her actions those of an immature person or an attempt to make things better for her children? Do you think Adelaide regretted her choice? Why did she have those angry fits later in life?

Discuss Mary. How has her life been shaped by her mother's abandonment? Do you find Mary an angry character? When does this behavior manifest itself? Why do you think Mary becomes obsessed with the occult? Why does Mary never marry? Why does Mary become so attached to Dot? Is Mary's attachment and behavior toward Dot...