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
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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.
- Discuss Frederick Douglass and his portrayal. What point
is being made by his characterization?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?”
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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?
- What is the role of slaves and the role of free blacks
in dealing with slavery and abolition in the book?
- What was John Brown’s inspiration for his war against
slavery? Was it religious in nature, a moral imperative or insanity?
- 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?
- Is it significant that Little Onion is racially half black and
white?
Does his mixed race give
him a different perspective? In what ways?
