The Women: A Novel

What role does Frankie’s mother play in the novel? How does her character parallel Frankie? In what ways are the two women foils?

Though Ethel and Barb witness similar atrocities as Frankie during their tours, neither seems to experience the same difficulty acclimating to civilian life. What might be the reason(s) for this? How are Ethel and Barb’s circumstances different from Frankie’s?

Frankie makes several attempts to receive treatment for her PTSD. Why is she repeatedly rejected? How are her experiences similar to and different from those of soldiers?

Women’s contributions to war are key to the novel. Research American women’s contributions to a past war, such as the Civil War or the World Wars.

Choose two or three of the novel’s song titles, then examine their lyrics to determine how they reflect Frankie’s experiences.

After Frankie returns home, it becomes apparent that she is suffering from PTSD. This term was not coined until the 1980s and did not become widely understood until years later. The condition was referred to as “shell shock” or “battle fatigue” during the World Wars and was thought to be an innocuous condition that would resolve itself. How does this lack of knowledge impact Frankie?

Kristin Hannah’s novels often feature female protagonists. Choose a protagonist who shares Frankie’s arc or conflict, and compare and contrast the two women.

Barb often emphasizes African American and other soldiers’ marginalization during the Vietnam War. Research the experiences of marginalized soldiers who served in this and a second American conflict. What do their testimonies suggest about racism on and off the battlefield?