Why do you think the editors included the essay on peacocks to begin this book? Explain.

If you have read any of Flannery O'Connor's other work, does this book help explain her fiction? Why or why not?

Explain what O'Connor means by mystery and manners.

Discuss the Southern Gothic style and why O'Connor is a predominant force in the genre.

Why does O'Connor feel it is both an advantage and a disadvantage to be a Catholic writer in the Southern Bible Belt?

O'Connor has very strong feelings on what literature should be taught in schools. Do you think you would have liked to have been her student? Why or why not?

Explain how your appreciation for the craft of writing fiction has changed since reading these essays.