48 pages • 1 hour read
Bill Cleaver, Vera CleaverWhere the Lilies Bloom
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1969A 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
How does the novel portray living in poverty?
Christian and religious thought is portrayed as a complex force in the novel. How does Mrs. Connell’s religion differ from Mary Call’s? How does the text characterize Mary Call’s relationship with God?
In what ways is Roy Luther the antagonist of the novel?
Examine the role of geographical and floral descriptions in this text. Why do the Cleaver authors specify certain herbs, flowers, and plants?
Devola does all of the cooking and tries to make decent meals with the resources they have. What role does food—both the presence and absence—play in the novel?
Mary Call states that the only thing the Luther siblings will inherit from Roy Luther is “defeat.” What does she mean by this statement? How do victory and “defeat” appear in the text?
Compare the novel to a book on Appalachian wildcrafting, like the one Mary Call uses. How are the texts similar and different in their descriptions of nature?
In Chapter 3, Mary Call believes she sees a figure outside that ultimately dissolves. What is the effect of this ghostly, supernatural scene? What role do the dead play in this novel?
In two integral moments, Mary Call fears that God has forgotten them. She begins the novel stating that she will never forget a stranger saying that the mountains and valley was the fairest land of all. What role does forgetting play in the novel?
