Discussion Guidelines

      The Book Discussion Sessions are not intended to be lectures but springboards for open conversations about literature, reading, and life.  In order to facilitate that discussion, it would be useful to read the information about Harper Lee, her novel, and the historical context for To Kill a Mockingbird in order to provide a solid foundation for our dialogues.  In addition, the following questions are intended to serve as guiding points for our reading and discussion.

• Why is fiction popular in the United States?
• Why do you read?
• What do you expect from a novel?
• What are the key elements of a good novel? a good story? writing style? character development?
• What do you like and/or dislike about To Kill a Mockingbird?
• Would you recommend this book to another person?  Why or why not?
• How are women, men, and children portrayed in these mysteries? And is that an accurate or fair representation?
• How is the narrator presented?  Is gender an issue for the narrator?  Is race an issue for the narrator?
• What are the larger cultural issues that the novel touches upon (for example, religion, love, marriage, greed, etc.)?
• What kind of image of society and humanity does the novel offer?
• Is To Kill a Mockingbird relevant in today's society?
• Should To Kill a Mockingbird be required reading for school students?