Discussion Questions For Reading Groups

1. Before Annie leaves for Mexico, she thinks to herself how much she wants to "fly off. ... I would never admit it to my family, but I really need to slip away. Slip away from everything familiar." How does leaving her family behind and setting off alone help Annie in get in touch with herself?

2. Do all women (and men, too) need this time alone and away? What are the dangers in this type of separation? What are the blessings? Is it selfish to want it?

3. Suppose Annie had gone away to search for Hub in San Diego, say, or in South Dakota or Miami, would this type of destination have allowed Annie the transformation she had in Mexico? Why did Mexico, and Oaxaca in particular, have this kind of effect on her?

4. Do you believe in rituals? Discuss the cleansing ritual Annie had in Doña Clarita's house. Would you agree to/submit to this kind of ceremony?

5. Discuss Doña Clarita's comment to Annie that begins on the bottom of page 205 and ends on the following page.

6. Discuss the concept of "el susto," , the fright that can separate body from mind, from spirit. Though this is a concept of Mexican folklore, do we see it in our society? Might it be called something else?

7. What stories in Annie's life need to be freed? How are family members affected when they keep silences? When they are not honest with each other? Is not telling the truth sometimes a good thing? Give examples. Do we hurt members of our family when we don't tell the truth?      
                   
8. Discuss the character of Joe Cruz. Is Annie justified when she makes love with Joe? Should she feel guilty? Has she betrayed Sam?
     
9. What is survivor's guilt? Why does Annie suffer from it? Had Maggie died another way, say, from an illness, would Annie still have felt guilty?

10. What are mirror image twins? How are they different from identical twins...or are they? What does it mean to be a twin-less twin, as Annie is? If your twin is dead, are you still a twin? What role does the mirror have in Annie's life after Maggie is gone?

11. Joe Cruz tells Annie his favorite saying. A saying by Marcus Aurelius that has helped him with his personal journey: "The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are." Discuss these two rules. Talk about "spirit." Talk about the word "know" in the second rule.

12. Have someone read aloud the beautiful, powerful "Wild Geese" poem by Mary Oliver. It appears in its entirety on page 263. Discuss the points of the poem. Especially the first line, second and third lines. Do you agree? How do you disagree? Discuss also the poem's last 5 lines. Do you agree with this thought?

13. In what ways are the celebrations of Night of the Radishes and Christmas metaphorically appropriate to Annie and her quest?
     

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Discussion Questions For Reading Groups

Background Information

"THE SAVING GRACE OF STORY"
by Sandra Benítez

Significance of the Title

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