Food and Womanhood

What role does food play in Ariel's childhood and how does it connect to her ideas of womanhood?

Womanhood and Traditional Gender Roles

How does Ariel and Lucy's relationship subvert traditional gender roles? How does it support them?

Feminism

How has feminism influenced Ariel's character and her life choices?

Rebirth

Discuss how Ariel's relationship with Dr. John and their connection to South Africa help her move toward hope and rebirth.

Entitlement and Fertility

Discuss how the theme of entitlement influences how Ariel and her peers view their fertility.

Loss and Entitlement

Discuss how Ariel's relationship to loss changes throughout the book. How does it connect to the theme of entitlement?

Loss and Foreshadowing

Discuss how Levy uses the literary device of foreshadowing to introduce the theme of loss. Do you think the use of foreshadowing is effective or ineffective as a literary device in...