60 pages • 2 hours read
Chandler BakerThe Husbands: A Novel
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Who is responsible for the unequal division of work in the Spanglers’ relationship: Nora, Hayden, or both? Should Nora take responsibility for allowing Hayden to become a lazy traveler? Support your response with evidence from the text.
Is The Husbands an effective critique of sexism in contemporary society? Why or why not?
Is the Spanglers’ marriage a successful one? Why or why not? What makes a marriage “successful”?
Ultimately, Nora uses the gold pen on Hayden. Why does she seek to control him now though she gave up that opportunity two years ago? Why might their relationship have reverted to its state prior to their arrival at Dynasty Ranch? Use evidence from the text to support your response.
Nora is critical of what Cornelia and the other wives do to their husbands, but she ultimately reaps the benefits of the changes wrought in Hayden’s mind. Does Nora maintain the moral high ground or is she just as bad as they are?
What is the role of control in the novel’s relationships? Do fulfilling relationships establish a balance of control between the two people involved? Given society’s current double standards, what would enable men and women to achieve such a balance?
Compare and contrast The Husbands to The Stepford Wives. How are the novels similar and how are they different? Which issues from The Stepford Wives remain relevant today, and which are no longer relevant?
How similar is Dynasty Ranch to the religious cult in which Cornelia grew up? What characteristics of a cult does the community share? How is it different?
Why is it so difficult—even impossible—for married couples in the novel to strike a balance of responsibility? What real-world solutions do couples use to make their relationships more equitable? Use outside research to support your response.
Do you think the text would look different if it included same-sex couples? Would one partner always end up being more active and responsible for the household than the other? Use examples from the text and secondary research to support your response.
