The Bone People

What kinds of gender dynamics are shown in the story? What role does heteronormativity play in the novel? What about nonconformist identities?

How are women depicted in the novel? Do the female characters in The Bone People fit in with women from other novels of that period? How are they similar or different?

Why do you think so much attention is paid to child abuse in the novel? Why does Joe regularly beat up a child? What are the social and personal responses to abuse in the book?

Why do you think Kerewin did not alert the authorities about Simon’s abuse? Do you agree with her actions? What could have been a better decision?

Why are dwellings often seen as symbolic or representative of their inhabitants? What do the protagonists’ homes tell us about them? What would your home tell someone who does not know you?

Mentions of cannibalism come up throughout the story. What do you know about this practice? How does Maori culture treat cannibalism and why? In what ways is this practice transgressive of Western norms? What can it tell us about the cultures that practice it (or have practiced it in the past)?

What is the symbolism of the three intertwined clay heads Kerewin creates after Simon’s hospitalization? Why are the three protagonists drawn to each other? How do they fit together?

What is the significance of the journeys undertaken by each protagonist? What do they gain and/or lose in the process?