Home Front

Discuss the friendship between Jolene and Tami. Why would Hannah establish such a strong relationship between these two characters, and what do they teach you about the value of friendship?

Jolene experiences great internal conflict when she learns of her deployment. Why is she so conflicted about her deployment? What does her conflict reveal about the ways social expectations of and stereotypes about women and soldiers intersect?

In what ways does Hannah challenge traditional gender roles in the novel? In what ways does she affirm them?

Hannah uses two parallel plots to demonstrate the effects of PTSD on veterans. How does Keith’s experience relate to Jolene’s when she returns home from Iraq? What does each character suggest about the role of family and community in coping with PTSD?

Describe the symbolism behind Jolene’s journal and the letters that the characters write to each other. What does writing make possible that talking does not?

Discuss the novel’s theme of healing and reconciliation. How does each character find healing by the story’s end? What are the main sources of healing, according to the novel?

Do you think it is fair that the jury convicted Keith Keller of second-degree murder? If not, what would a fair outcome be? If so, what makes you believe that conviction fits Keith’s actions and motives?

What does the novel teach about the value of communication regarding relationships, healing, and forgiveness? What impact does communication have on healing relationships, and what happens when communication between the characters breaks down?