10 questions on plot, characters, and themes. Free to take, so you can see exactly what to review before class.
1. Why does Lily run away from home at the beginning of the novel?
2. What does Lily discover about her mother, Deborah, that changes how she sees her?
3. What role does the Black Madonna statue called Our Lady of Chains play in the Boatwright household?
4. How does May Boatwright's death affect the turning point of the novel?
5. What happens when T. Ray arrives in Tiburon to take Lily back home?
6. What is Lily's understanding of her own guilt at the start of the novel?
7. How does the Civil Rights Act of 1964 connect to the events of the novel?
8. What does the friendship between Lily and Zach reveal about 1964 South Carolina?
9. What does Lily learn about motherhood by the end of the novel?
10. Why does Lily initially lie to August about being an orphan?
0 of 10 answered
How this guide is built
This guide is built from the original text to help you get oriented fast. It is designed for recall, paper planning, and getting unstuck, but it is still a paraphrased guide, not a substitute for the reading itself. Double-check anything important before you turn in formal work.
