Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Good Lord Bird May 2015

May 2015 Book Selection

The Fairfax Library Book Discussion Group will meet Thursday, May 14th at 7 p.m. to discuss our May book  The Good Lord Bird by James McBride.


Discussion questions are below.

Here are some links for additional background and information:



New Yorker article examining the life of John Brown

Pete Seeger singing “John Brown’s Body Lies A-mouldering In the Grave”




Coming up, we have the following book to look forward to reading:



Thurs. June 11         Catch-22 by Joseph Heller


Thanks for reading with us. I look forward to seeing you at the Fairfax Library.

Beth Bailey-Gates
Friends of the Fairfax Library





DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

  1. The novel opens with a newspaper article about the discovery of an old document-“a wild slave narrative.” Did having this context from the outset adjust your expectations of what would come? Would you have read the novel differently if this article hadn’t been included?
  2. When they first meet, the Old Man misidentifies Henry as a girl, forcing “Little Onion” to disguise himself as a girl for much of the story. How does Little Onion’s attitude toward this disguised identity change throughout the novel? How does he use it to his advantage? When does it become a hindrance?
  3. Discuss the significance of the title. Fred tells Little Onion that a Good Lord Bird is “so pretty that when man sees it, he says, ‘Good Lord,'” and that a feather from this bird will “bring you understanding that’ll last your whole life.” What role do the Good Lord Bird and its feathers play in John Brown’s story? In Little Onion’s? Why is the title appropriate for the novel?
  4. In what ways is this a narrative about Onion? In what ways it is a narrative about larger issues? How do these two aspects of the novel interact?
  5. How familiar were you with John Brown and the events at Harpers Ferry before reading the book? What values and mores informed his actions? Has the fictional retelling changed your perceptions of John Brown as he relates to American history?
  6. The novel includes several historical figures-John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman. Does the blending of actual, historical events and figures with the author’s fictional reimagining of them make you rethink history? Explain why or why not.
  7. Discuss Frederick Douglass and his portrayal. What point is being made by his characterization?
  8. Consider the use of dialect in the novel. The narrator, Little Onion, speaks with a very particular dialect; the Old Man, who constantly refers to the Bible, speaks with a different cadence and rhythm entirely. Little Onion says of the Old Man: “He sprinkled most of his conversation with Bible talk, ‘thees’ and ‘thous’ and ‘takest’ and so forth. He mangled the Bible more than any man I ever knowed . . . but with a bigger purpose, ’cause he knowed more words.” What roles do speech, dialect, and elocution play in this story?
  9. The Old Man attaches significance to several unlikely objects; among his collection of “good-luck baubles” are the feather of the Good Lord Bird and the dried-up old onion that Henry eats, earning him his nickname. Why does a man like John Brown accumulate such objects? Why does he call them both “good-luck charms” and “the devil’s work”? Do you own any objects to which you attribute good or bad luck or attach other superstitious beliefs?
  10. In the abstract, a funny story about slavery might not seem possible. How does the author bring humor to a subject not typically written about in this tone? Is he successful? What does humor allow us to contemplate about history that we might not have thought otherwise? What do you think in general of books or movies that play the awful for laughs? What was your favorite “Onionism?”
  11. Since the publication of this book, repeated comparisons have been made to Mark Twain. Do you see this similarity? If so, where? Are there any similarities between this novel and Twain’s?
  12. Does James McBride’s writing style remind you of any other authors or books? In what ways is this a “classic” American story, and it what ways does it feel more contemporary or otherwise different?
  13. Loyalty is a major theme in the book. Political beliefs are a matter of life and death. Even Little Onion feels conflicted about whether to stick by John Brown’s side or flee from him. Where do the major characters’ loyalties lie, with regard to each other and with regard to the cause of abolition? Are the allegiance lines as cut-and-dried as you might expect?
  14. The measures that John Brown and his posse take in The Good Lord Bird could be seen today as those of revolutionaries, even terrorists. What would your response to Brown and his actions have been if you had lived during that tumultuous era of American history?
  15. Is this is an important book? Why or why not? Is it an essential addition to the literature about slavery and the civil war? Can it help race relations today?
  16. What is the role of slaves and the role of free blacks in dealing with slavery and abolition in the book?
  17. What was John Brown’s inspiration for his war against slavery? Was it religious in nature, a moral imperative or insanity?
  18. Is Little Onion a hero or a villain? Neither? A reliable narrator? What does he learn on his journey? What was his purpose to Old John Brown?

  1. Is it significant that Little Onion is racially half black and white? Does his mixed race give him a different perspective? In what ways?


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