1. The idea of controlling space. Many of these stories address the issue of making order out of disorder, of trying to control the environment and the lives of the characters. Why is this important in the context of these stories?
2. Rose in “The Forest” speaks of the “legacy of the past”. How is this concept important throughout the book? What different decisions do characters make about the presence of the past in their lives?
3. There are many things “missing” in these stories--children, husbands, lovers, information. How does this serve as a connecting theme? Does it related to any other thematic elements of the book?
4. As a related issue, there is lots of “travel” in this book--both physically and mentally. Look at whom “goes” and who “stays”. What makes them different? Can the reader draw some conclusions from this about the way Barrett looks at the world?
5. Character development. Many of these characters are quite different from those we have read about before. Are they extraordinary people or people who find themselves in extraordinary situations? What are the implications of this for the main themes of the stories?
6. Questions—everyone asks a lot of questions in these stories. What kinds of questions do they ask? Can you relate the questions to the “questioner”? Is this a technique of plot development, character development, or both?
7. The role of letters. Lots of letter writers here too. Look at the role the letters pay in each story—both the senders and the receivers. What do they reveal about both? What does this technique allow the author to do that is different than other literary means?
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3. There are many things “missing” in these stories--children, husbands, lovers, information. How does this serve as a connecting theme? Does it related to any other thematic elements of the book?
The general idea of "missing" things in the stories is interesting. I think that this can be associated with the theme of science versus religion. Science involves a lot of precise evidence and material so there really is not any room for "missing" things if you want to reach an accurate conclusion. Religion on the other hand is not based on gathered evidence, measurements or calculations. There are may things that are "missing" in religion because it can not be proved or disproved. It is simply believed in so aspects of religion are never classified as "missing". Either you have faith in it or you don't. So far these different ideas are explored in the book through Darwin's theory, Asa Gray, and the scientific studies of the characters. "All that is there, all that hangs suspended in air, suspended above the air: rain and hail and fire and stone, the mind of God, if there is a God; the stars and planets and comets and our fates."(Barrett 119)The contrasting views of science and religion are clearly established in this quote by questioning the existence of God. Yet, not to be contradicting, could science be a type of faith which branched from religion? Is it possible that science is simply an attempt to make sense of religion; finding the roots of its existence as opposed to contesting against it.
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