Discuss Some Luck by Jane Smiley

Each generation of men engages differently in the wars of their times? How does their involvement show their personalities, the nature of war, and America’s evolving role in world conflict?

Oct. 16, 2014
by joanp

How does Smiley use the children's points of view to show their development in real time? What are some of their most memorable traits?

Oct. 23, 2014
by alisonf

What do you think the title means? Whose luck does it refer to?

Oct. 23, 2014
by harriettek

What does Eloise mean by 'almost everyone sees things, but not everyone notices them,' and how does this particularly apply to Frank?

Oct. 23, 2014
by harriettek

Joey says, "I don’t get over things." Is this why he's so suited to farming? Does he eventually learn to get over things?

Oct. 24, 2014
by darylb

In the book, how does parenting change from one generation to the next? And what about the roles of the sexes?

Oct. 24, 2014
by darylb

What does Walter think and feel during the scene at the well? Why doesn't he tell Rosanna until many years later?

Oct. 24, 2014
by darylb

What, if anything, do you think the Osage-orange hedge stands for, in the book as a whole? What metaphors are at work here?

Oct. 24, 2014
by darylb

How does Frank's persistence help or hinder him?

Oct. 29, 2014
by nancyh

How does Mary Elizabeth’s death affect Rosanna?

Oct. 29, 2014
by nancyh

On Walter’s forty-seventh birthday, he lets each of his children select an item from a box he'd kept locked away. What do these totems represent?

Nov. 04, 2014
by susank

What role do faith and religion play? Would you say that religion is related to the theme of luck?

Nov. 05, 2014
by nancyh

Pacing. How important is it to the development of the characters and the plot? What are your thoughts about how Smiley used the element of pace in this novel?

Nov. 12, 2014
by andreab

How does Smiley use the chapter structure to propel her story?

Nov. 12, 2014
by malindan

Is death more accepted on a farm than in the city?

Dec. 04, 2014
by darcyc

Overall, what were your feelings about the book. Did you like it?

Dec. 06, 2014
by dianed

Some Luck

Discuss Some Luck by Jane Smiley

What point is Smiley making by changing the mythology of the story of Lucky Hans through the story?

Each generation of men engages differently in the wars of their times? How does their involvement show their personalities, the nature of war, and America’s evolving role in world conflict?

How does Smiley use the children's points of view to show their development in real time? What are some of their most memorable traits?

What do you think the title means? Whose luck does it refer to?

What does Eloise mean by 'almost everyone sees things, but not everyone notices them,' and how does this particularly apply to Frank?

Joey says, "I don’t get over things." Is this why he's so suited to farming? Does he eventually learn to get over things?

In the book, how does parenting change from one generation to the next? And what about the roles of the sexes?

What does Walter think and feel during the scene at the well? Why doesn't he tell Rosanna until many years later?

What, if anything, do you think the Osage-orange hedge stands for, in the book as a whole? What metaphors are at work here?

How does Frank's persistence help or hinder him?

How does Mary Elizabeth’s death affect Rosanna?

On Walter’s forty-seventh birthday, he lets each of his children select an item from a box he'd kept locked away. What do these totems represent?

What role do faith and religion play? Would you say that religion is related to the theme of luck?

Pacing. How important is it to the development of the characters and the plot? What are your thoughts about how Smiley used the element of pace in this novel?

How does Smiley use the chapter structure to propel her story?

Is death more accepted on a farm than in the city?

Overall, what were your feelings about the book. Did you like it?

Sorry, Some Luck by Jane Smiley is closed for new posts.
Please go to bookbrowse.com/onlinebookclub for a full list of conversations.

Discuss Some Luck by Jane Smiley

Sorry, Some Luck by Jane Smiley is closed for new posts.Please go to bookbrowse.com/onlinebookclub for a full list of conversations.

Sorry, Some Luck by Jane Smiley is closed for new posts.
Please go to bookbrowse.com/onlinebookclub for a full list of conversations.