Book Club Discussion Questions for These Heathens by Mia McKenzie

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Collier Heights, Atlanta's Black Enclave and our BookBrowse Review of These Heathens.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

These are original discussion questions written by BookBrowse.

1. Did you have any experiences when you were younger that opened your eyes to the wider world and made you think differently about cultural or social issues, the way Doris is changed by her experiences in Atlanta?
2. What did you think about the conversations surrounding civil rights in the book, particularly those pertaining to segregation and integration? Did you understand Sylvia Broussard's concerns about integrated schools and restaurants?
3. Had you heard of Collier Heights before reading These Heathens? What did you think of the town? Did you do any further research to learn more about it?
4. Did you think the book read as realistic in its portrayal of the time, setting, and characters? Did Doris read as a realistic teenager to you?
5. Why do you think the author depicted Doris having romantic interactions with two boys, despite her pregnancy? How did this make you feel about Doris, and what do you think the author's intentions were with this choice?
6. What do you think the significance was of Julia Avery borrowing a line written by Doris for one of her songs? How do you think this affected Doris?
7. Would you say These Heathens is a feminist book? If so, what feminist messages did you take away from it?
8. What did you think of the relationship between Catie Lucas and Sylvia Broussard? Did you understand why Catie didn't contact Sylvia for two years after her husband died?
9. Did you ever have a formative experience like Doris's that made you feel differently about the values instilled in you by your family and/or community?
10. What did you think of Doris's narrative voice? Did you have any favorite lines?
11. What do you think might happen to Doris after the events of the novel? What do you think her future holds in adulthood?
12. How did you feel about the way Martin Luther King, Jr. was depicted? Did it surprise you at all?
13. What did you think of Doris's "crazy" neighbor, Mrs. Haley? Did you feel differently about her at the end of the novel when it was revealed that she was attempting to vote?
14. Did you have any favorite parts of These Heathens? Did you find any of Doris's encounters particularly compelling?
15. How did you feel about the book's ending? Were you expecting something different to happen to Doris?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Random House. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.