Catherine Called Birdy

1. Why is Catherine call Birdy? What metaphor does this emphasis in the text and how does the metaphor work?

2. In what ways is this a "Beauty and the Beast" story? In what ways is it different? Why are these differences significant?  How does the author change the character of "Beauty" and her attitudes toward duty and obedience in order to reach a modern audience? Do you find this story more, less, or equally empowering for a young girl than traditional "Beauty and the Beast" stories? In what ways?

3. What is the turning point of this story? Why is it so important? How does it change Birdy? If you have different answers, defend and/or contextualize them--for instance, there may be an emotionally turning point and a physical turning point.

4. What is the significance of the saints for Birdy? Why include that detail? (several answers are likely here) What might her fascination with saints correspond to in the contemporary life of a teenaged girl? Who was your favorite saint?

5. Do you find Birdy credible? Or do you feel insecure in your ability to assess her credibility (whether or not she "works" as a medieval heroine)? How might you investigate this problem?

The Midwife's Apprentice

1. How do Alyce's name changes reflect her growth as a person?

2. Do you find the characters to be one-dimensional, or do they sometimes break with stereotypes? Give examples. Then speculate on how much of the development of the other characters is a factor of the first-person narration. In other words, do you think the characters themselves develop, or is it more likely that Alyce's understanding of human nature develops? Support your answer.

3. Talk about Jane Sharp. What kind of person is she? Do you like her? Respect her? Agree with her decisions? How and why are your reactions different and complicated?

4. What is the turning point of the book? Why is it so important? How does it change Beetle? If you have different answers, defend and/or contextualize them--for instance, there may be an emotionally turning point and a physical turning point.

5. Birth and helping with birth is a central motif of the novel. How is it a metaphor for what is happening with/to Alyce? How do others play their role in this metaphor?

6. What is the significance of the devil's footprint chapter?

7. Were you surprised that she wasn't able to deliver the baby by herself? Why do think you were? Where do you think your expectations came from?

The Ramsay Scallop

1. Nora says at one point: "In stories the men are heroes because of what they do, but if the women are heroes at all, it is because of what they think, or because of what happens to them."  While this isn't particularly a medieval sentiment, it is an important one--how does it work its way out in this book? Is it true of Nora and Thomas? What about other books you have read this semester? Try to give at least three examples or counterexamples.

2. Each of the stories that the pilgrims tell reflects on one of the themes of the novel. Find each story, and review its content and the reactions of the pilgrims. Then reflect on how the story relates to some larger theme in the book. For instance, how does the story of Roland unsettle Thomas' ideas of heroism, as well as support the uneasiness he feels about his role in the crusades? Remember that the only person who reacts favorably is the little boy, who likes the fighting--Thomas was only a boy when he left for the Crusades. This also tell us something about the larger issues of the book.

3. Think about Etienne's attitude toward the Crusades and Thomas' and Nora' encounter with the Islamic shepherds. Do you think they represent believable attitudes for medieval people to have? Why or why not? If you feel unable to answer this question fairly, what steps might you take to be able to do so?

The Door in the Wall

1. Locate as many instances where the author uses or mentions a "door in the wall," both metaphorically and actually. What does the metaphor mean? What is the effect of the fact that the "doors in the wall" are both real doors and abstract ideas?

2. Fostering adolescent children (sending them to other families or hosting other people's children in your home) was a widespread practice among the nobility of the Middle Ages. What are the advantages and disadvantages of that practice? Why do you think it was so widespread?

3. Do you find Robin a credible character--that is, is he believable in the setting that de Angeli provides for him? What attitudes does he hold that seem different than and similar to the attitudes we hold today?

4. This is yet another male character for whom honor is important. What would you say is his definition of honor? How does he achieve it?

5. This book won the Newbery award for 1949. What qualities in the novel do you think warranted this attention?

Matilda Bone

1. Locate and describe at least three points in the novel where Matilda seems to change her mind or grow as a person. Why did you choose these points? What happens in them to facilitate Matilda's development?

2. Matilda has been under the ideological sway of a powerful man. What effects does this have on her responses to other people, on how she chooses whom to respect and whom to suspect? How and why does she change her attitudes? How does this help the reader locate the author's feminist agenda? Make a list of the attributes and values of Leufredis and the great male doctor. Then make a list of the values of Peg and Margery. Then use these list to generate summaries of the values of patriarchy versus the values of feminism.

3. What are Matilda's tools? How does she use them? How does she learn to use them?

4. How does Matilda use the saints? Do you think they really "speak" to her? Why do you think they stop answering her in the latter parts of the novel? In other words, who is really speaking to her through the saints? What changes about her relationship to that voice throughout the novel?