Uncle Tom's Cabin

Here are some discussion questions for Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe:

1. Uncle Tom's Cabin is often described, nowadays, as condescending. Do you agree with that assessment? Why (not)?

2. Being labeled an Uncle Tom is now considered an insult in the African American community, do you agree with that assessment of the character of Tom? Why (not)? Some people have described Tom as the first African American hero of literature, what actions did he take that make him a "hero"? Conversely what actions did he take that may cause him to be looked down upon?

3. The first two questions bring up an issue relating to all historical literature, what point of view should we use when reading literature? What harm or benefit could come from reading Uncle Tom's Cabin through a strictly modern viewpoint?

4. In the novel we are introduced to three different masters (there are other masters that get less airtime) and two of those masters are kind and loving to their slaves. Why do you think the author had the majority of the masters be kindly? How did the device of using kindly masters make you feel about slavery? The argument is explicitly made in the book that it is the kind masters that are the worst thing for slavery because it is they who make opposition more difficult, what are your thoughts on this argument?

5. Simon Legree along with George Harris's master are portrayed as irrational persons who act only on emotion with no care for their economic standing. Why do you think the author portrayed these individuals as irrational?

6. This is a novel with a very clear political message. Was this message forcefully portrayed? Why do you say that? Were there times in the novel when the message distracted from the story or where the story strayed from the message? Examples?

7. The ending of the book almost had a Dickensian quality to it, in terms of coincidences, lost identities, etc. How did this benefit the narrative?

8. Who was your favorite character and why?

9. Master St. Clare was depicted as a good man that had been spiritually destroyed by the culture of the south, why do you think it was important for the author to include depictions of the damage slavery had on white culture?

10. Almost all white characters in the novel (excepting Eva St. Clare and the Quakers) are depicted as racist (including the abolitionists) what was the author trying to convey by these depictions?

11. The author also clearly demonstrates that the only way to overcome racism, anger, pain, bitterness is through the redemption of Jesus Christ. In modern times such an overtly religious message in a novel is unusual, did this message affect your opinion of the novel? Why?

12. The novel contains several examples, the most prominent being that of the Ohio legislator, who believe one thing, but when faced with the actual consequences and personal experiences, their hearts are changed. Why do you think hearts are more readily changed, sometimes, by experience? Why does reason not always result in the best way? Or does it?

NOTE: I LOVED this book. I had never read it before, and I couldn't believe that in all the history and literature classes I have taken that it was never read. The story was excellent and fast moving. I was very moved by this book.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Here are some discussion questions for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee:

1. What is the theme of this book?

2. The main action and storyline of the book appears to be the trial of Tom Robinson, yet the story starts years before this issue began. Why are the years preceding the Tom Robinson incident important to the theme of the book? What do those years addd to the Robinson trial and what the characters learn from that trial?

3. Throughout the novel a number of unlikable characters show themselves to be heroic in different ways, including Mrs. Dubose, Auntie, and Dolphus Raymond. Why do you think Lee included these aspects of those characters in her novel? Did it help advance her theme and the story or was it distracting?

4. Lee appeared to be writing about a society that was clinging to the past, but was slowly changing its values in spite of itself--do you think her book was proposing that slow and deliberate change was an effective method of advancing various causes?

5. Why was Atticus so unwilling to let his children know that he was a dead-shot?

6. Why does Boo Radley constitute the beginning and end of the novel? What, if anything, does he symbolize? What does he teach the children, and, what does he teach us?

7. Why is Atticus's description of heroes (knowing you're licked before you start, but starting anyway)so important in advancing the theme of the book? How does Atticus's description of heroes apply to Maudie Atkinson's statements regarding the length of time the jury took to convict Robinson?

8. One of the recurring themes is the need to walk in others' shoes, how does this apply to the overall theme of the book?

9. Why is this novel still so well regarded?

1984

Here are some discussion questions for 1984 by George Orwell:

1. This novel was written prior to most autobiographical accounts of totalitarian regimes, do you think now that we have first hand accounts that it has weakened Orwell's novel, why(not)?

2. 1984 revolves around the life of an individual that whose principal duty is to change history to match current propaganda. Why is the change of history so important? Do you think that this happens currently in free countries? How can we protect against having history changed?

3. One of Winston's early rebellions is sexual rebellion. Why do you think that Orwell placed such an emphasis on sexual rebellion? Do you think Orwell's attack on the sexual repression found in Oceania is an attack on the influence of any organization that promotes chastity or abstinence? Why(not)?

4. Oceania is constantly at war. Why do you think Orwell felt it necessary for his totalitarian society to always have an enemy?

5. Why is the government insistent that you love "Big Brother" before destroying you? What similarities do you see of this type of belief and political structure in the real world?

6. Orwell was a Democratic Socialist, and stated that he believed in socialism, yet the repressive regime is socialist. Does socialism lend itself to these abuses more than other forms of government? Can control be gained thorugh other methods than surveillance and fear?

Anyway, these questions might not be too good. It only took me five months to get around to writing them.