Discussion Questions for My Father’s House

Discussion Questions for My Father’s House

I’m not convinced that questions help in the analysis of a story. They can orient the reader toward the author’s interpretation of the events and characters, but the value of a book often lies in what it evokes in the reader. So I’d like to suggest you start with your own reactions to the book. Then maybe the following questions will help.

 

  1.  How do gender standards of the time affect the development of each of the characters?
  2.  How do religious convictions affect the lives of the main characters?
  3.  What effect does war have on the men; the women; the culture?
  4.  Do you see a Swedish (or Scandinavian) character influencing the family? How would you describe it? How did it affect assimilation into the United States? Major decisions in the family? Friendship relationships?
  5.  The “great depression” certainly had an impact on the family’s life. But in the end we find that others had been jealous of the Gustafsons. Does that affect the way you read the story?
  6.  There are many similarities between Jennie and Helen. What are they? How might you account for them?
  7.  Carl had a pretty powerful influence on his family. How might his own standards and expectations have impacted the other family members?
  8.  Carl and Jennie had a very strong –moral – attitude toward money and finances. How might that have affected the lives and character of the offspring? Other people in the story?
  9.  At one point in the book there is a detailed description of the differences between the Affinito foods and service compared to the Gustafsons. What, if anything, did that contribute to the story?
  10.  Mona’s marriage portrayed a very clear difference between the Italian culture and that of her family of origin. But what about Thelma? Was her marriage and family affected by differences between her cultural expectations and Bob’s? And Harvey?
  11.  Were you surprised when Mona’s marriage ended? Harveys? Thelma’s?
  12.  In private conversation the author has said, “I started out to describe a fruitful and productive family and found at the end that it came close to meeting the definition of a Greek tragedy. What might have been the tragic flaw?
  13.  How did the Epilogue bring closure to the story?
  14.  And now what are the things you observed and want to comment on that these questions missed?