Historical fiction about Shaker life1. What did you learn about the Shakers that you didn't already know? Do you
think that late 20th cent. has over-romanticized Shaker life? Do you think that Giles was too biased against the Shakers, especially since the reader's sympathy is with the character who leaves?
2. What interest do
you think Mother Ann Lee had in starting such a religious "utopian" community that had such strict rules about celibacy?
3. What were some of the appeals of Shaker life that drew members into the Shaker community?
4. Discuss the different ways in which Shaker life effected the many female characters. Some were happy in the community.
Why?
5. The State of Kentucky passed legislation that granted immediate divorce to any parties who were disenchanted with their spouses' Shaker convictions (vii). Do you think that it was okay for Rebecca to divorce
Richard and marry Stephen? Do you think she should have done it much sooner, and if so, why do you think she didn't?
6. What were some of the problems with the organization of "artificial families"?
7. Do
you think that Richard's inner character and make-up, as well as the outer circumstances, effected the way he reacted in terms of his convictions to Shaker life? Not everyone seemed as strongly convicted as Richard? Why
not?
8. Do you think that Rebecca or Richard's parents could have done anything to prevent what their children did? In the Preface, Cecilia Macheski mentions the general belief during this time in the idea of
Manifest Destiny (xi), and thus the acceptance of westward movement and expansion, which meant that there was always the possibility that one's children might leave home and move far away, maybe never to see their
families again.
9. Discuss the characterization and treatment of Jency as a negative stereotype of a black slave. Remember that the book was written in 1954. Does that make a difference?
