What do you think is the relationship between the women's use of first names and their journeys of transformation? What point do you think the author is making by using their first names in narration only at certain times? Why do you think Mrs. Fisher's first name is never revealed?

Discuss the two perspectives of God and heaven evident in the characters and experiences of Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot. Which do you think is the truer? Which is the more valid? Discuss also the relationship between the novel's thematic focus on awakening to life and Mrs. Arbuthnot's moving away from her previous perspectives on/experiences of her relationship with God and faith. What does the latter suggest about the former?

Imagine the lives and relationships of the characters once they return to England. Do you think they will be able to sustain the...