The Yield: A Novel

Reverend Greenleaf ends his letter conflicted over his actions and faith. August also has trouble deciding whether Greenleaf was a “good person.” Consider the novel’s nuanced presentation of morality, motivation, and personal impact. How does Winch use Greenleaf to explore these nuances?

Institutions in The Yield are often shown to further colonial interests, both implicitly and explicitly. Discuss the different kinds of colonial violence depicted in the story and the purposes each serves in the narrative.

In the novel, colonial and post-colonial attitudes are shown to be pervasive in Massacre Plains and Australia as a whole. Identify three ways that Winch emphasizes the continued impact of colonization on Indigenous lands and discuss how they inform the novel’s message.

The Gondiwindis’ attitude toward the land conflicts with the white inhabitants’ attitudes. Analyze how the novel presents and builds this conflict and how it functions in the narrative.

Language and its importance is one of the key themes of the novel. Find three examples that highlight the importance of language within The Yield and discuss how these interact with one of the other major themes of the novel.

August and Poppy share many characteristics but also have very different behaviors, attitudes, and forms of expression. Consider the dynamic between these characters and how this affects the novel’s presentation of its themes.

How do nationalistic ideologies manifest themselves in The Yield? Who suffers from them, and who benefits?

The novel interweaves the narratives of Poppy, August, and Greenleaf. Consider the positioning of these narrative shifts and the material they contain—how does the structure inform your reading of each narrative as they progress?