FAMILY SKELETON by CARMEL BIRD
NOTES FOR READERS
One The skeleton in the
closet speaks directly to the reader, commenting on the behaviour of the
characters, and also telling the reader where to look, what to bother about.
What effect does this narrative device have on the telling of the story?
Two Margaret’s life story
is mostly revealed in her journal. Does this intimate view of Margaret help you
to understand her, even to empathise with her?
Three Lillian is a bit
different from the other characters in many ways. She is the central location
of goodness in a messy, wicked world. In what ways is she different?
Four The Second World War
fractured the twentieth century. How did it affect Margaret? How did it reach
into the lives of the O’Days of Toorak?
Five Doria is ‘the stranger
who rides into town’. What effect did she have on the lives of the other
characters?
Six Margaret thinks the
past should remain in the past. Most of the other characters seem to want to
explore and expose the past. Who is right?
Seven The subject matter of
the novel is dramatic and serious, yet much of the style of the writing is
comic. How do you think these two elements work together? Does the comedy make
the drama more memorable?
Eight The chapters are
headed by a short quotation form Margaret’s late husband Edmund. What effect do
these sayings have on your reading of the novel?
Nine The novel ends in such
a way that the reader is invited to complete the picture. Did you enjoy this
freedom for the reader’s imagination?
Ten What does the skeleton
want the reader to notice in the advertisement on page six?
Eleven Without the presence
of Doria, would the secret have been buried forever?
Twelve The skeleton says to
take no notice of such things as the butterflies. What game is the skeleton
playing?
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