Describe the Howland farm. What were some of its uses over the generations?

What do you think it meant when William Howland merely expressed that he "wasn't surprised" with the news of Abigail's marriage?

Compare and contrast Margaret, the woman who raised Abigail like a daughter, to Abigail's birth mother (Abigail Howland)?

Do you think Abigail's grandfather would have been proud of her final actions in the book? Why or why not?

Compare and contrast William and Margaret's backgrounds.

Discuss the emotional climate of the southern United States during the time of the novel.

Using examples, describe whether or not you feel Margaret was a good mother to her children.

Why did the Tollivers and Howlands not get along despite their familial bonds?

Oliver was a minor character, yet he was important to the telling of the story. What did he symbolize in the...