Faces in the Moon, by Betty Louise Bell:
Although Bell has stated that much of the material in the novel comes from her own life, Faces in the Moon is a work of fiction: a novel. Thus, as you write about the experiences of the novel’s main character, Lucie, be sure to refer to her as “Lucie,” not “Bell.” When you write about the author herself, of course, you’ll be writing about “Bell.”
Choose one of the following three topics to respond to this week. You must address all the questions in the topic you select, and write them in paragraph form, not as a list. Strive for 300-‐350 words.
Use brief text excerpts, correctly punctuated and cited, and proofread carefully for accuracy.
TOPIC 1: The Family Tree
• Who are the significant characters in this novel, and how are they related to each other?
• What is Lucie’s relationship like with her mother? We have discussed and written about forms of education – formal and informal, positive and negative – in Campbell’s autobiography. Would you say that Gracie has been an important teacher to Gracie in any way/s? Why or why not? Provide details either way.
• How has Lucie learned about her family heritage? Which characters teach her about her heritage, how do they do this, and what does Lucie learn?
• What mixed messages does Lucie receive as a girl about being Indian? Who gives her these messages, and in what contexts or situations? What affect do these different messages have on Lucie as an adult, when she reveals some of the events of her adult life?
TOPIC 2: Writing Style and Structure of the Novel
• What do you notice about the way Bell writes her story in the first half of the novel that is, the visual format, time sequencing, literary devices, and language?
• Bell moves frequently between past and present time periods in Faces in the Moon. What might she be trying to achieve with these time shifts, assuming she wants to do something more than just confuse the reader?
• Why do you think Bell uses italics in some parts of the novel? That is, do you think the italicized sections represent something particular in that part of the story? Why might the italicized sections appear where they do? Is there something that unites these sections?
• What might be the purpose of Bell’s text breaks within the sections of the novel? What about other types of punctuation? Discuss specific examples. Notice that she does not use numbered chapters, but named sections. What is the significance of the titles she gives each section?
• How is it for you to read the colloquial speech (dialect) Bell writes into the text? Does it add to the characterization in this novel, which is very much focused on oral traditions as Lucy learns about her heritage, and about her place in her family history?
Can you apply any of our other readings or discussions about oral traditions to Bell’s novel? If so, which ones and why?
TOPIC 3: Stories, Silence, and Kitchen Tables
• What is the pun in the title of the first section, “Raising Voices”? (To answer this question accurately, look up the definition of a “pun.”) Whose voices do we learn are important in this story in the first 20 pages, and why?
• Who is the narrator of the story? What does she remember her role was in listening to
the “raising voices” of her childhood?
• How does Bell describe listening and silence as equally important to speaking in this first portion of the novel?
• The kitchen table is an important symbol in this novel. What does it represent to Lucie, and why is it so significant? In your opinion, what types of nourishment, literally and metaphorically, does Lucie receive at this table, and from whom?
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