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Charming Billy Study Guide

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by Alice McDermott
About 41 pages (12,322 words)
Charming Billy Summary

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Topics for Discussion

Discuss Dennis's decision to lie to Billy about Eva. The decision shapes the events of the novel. In which ways would things have been different if Dennis had told Billy the truth? Should Dennis have lied? Does it matter that Dennis's intentions were honorable?

Discuss Billy's alcoholism. In several places in the book it is debated whether Billy would have been an alcoholic if not for his belief that Eva had died. Others believe that Billy had a disease, which is an accepted theory today. What do you believe? Could the truth have changed the course of Billy's life?

Compare and contrast Sheila's two marriages and Billy's marriage to Maeve. How are they similar? Are their differences? Is what Sheila and Billy did to their spouses morally wrong?

Discuss the idea of morality in this novel. What Eva.....

This is a free excerpt of 134 words. This section contains 267 words. This study guide contains 12,322 words (approx. 41 pages at 300 words per page).

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Charming Billy from BookRags and Gale's For Students Series. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.

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