*Book Club* Questions Pt. 3

Re: *Book Club* Questions Pt. 3

• Madisonpenny member

  

  March 2012

  7- We know that Emma was orphaned, Will's father was a alcoholic, Iris's brother was killed in the First War, and that Frankie grew up in a brownstone in Washington Square. How do these character`s backgrounds shape the decisions that they make? If we didn`t know their backgrounds, would your opinion of the character and their actions change? I think the the background matters more for some characters more than others.  For example, Emma, I think knowing that she was an orphaned and watched her family die at a young age explains why she is a bit of a loner.  I don't think it changed my opinion about the characters though.
  
  8- Early in the novel, Frankie reflects on the fact that most people believe that "women shouldn't be reporting on the war." Do you think that Frankie's gender influences her reporting? How does Frankie deal with being female in a male dominated field? Do you think female reporters today are under closer scrutiny because of their gender? I think it does influence her reporting.  I think that people may not have taken her seriously enough because she was a woman, but also because she was a woman reporting on such a topic as the war.  I think journalism now as a female is much easier now than in the 30s and 40s
  
  9- Why does Otto refuse to tell the townspeople that he's Jewish? Do you think he's right for not doing so?I can understand why he didn't tell people that he was in fact Jewish but I think he was wrong in keeping it a secret.I also don't know why he didn't correct people when they kept calling hima Kraut or German and inform them that he was actually Austrian. 

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• BrightFirefly member

  

  March 2012

  9- Why does Otto refuse to tell the townspeople that he's Jewish? Do you think he's right for not doing so?I can understand why he didn't tell people that he was in fact Jewish but I think he was wrong in keeping it a secret.I also don't know why he didn't correct people when they kept calling hima Kraut or German and inform them that he was actually Austrian. 
  
  But do you think it would have mattered if he would have corrected them?
  
  Think about it today - when people assume anyone who appears middle eastern - must be middle eastern and "an enemy" My friend is always called "an arab" when she is infact from India.
  
  

  

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• Madisonpenny member

  

  March 2012

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_book-club-questions-pt-3?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:c85582e8-e258-4519-a5cc-d2cc3d0b5fdcPost:a2c56b64-48fd-4108-aee7-f933b3a1c158">Re: *Book Club* Questions Pt. 3</a>:
  [QUOTE]9- Why does Otto refuse to tell the townspeople that he's Jewish? Do you think he's right for not doing so? I can understand why he didn't tell people that he was in fact Jewish but I think he was wrong in keeping it a secret .I also don't know why he didn't correct people when they kept calling hima Kraut or German and inform them that he was actually Austrian.  But do you think it would have mattered if he would have corrected them? Think about it today - when people assume anyone who appears middle eastern - must be middle eastern and "an enemy" My friend is always called "an arab" when she is infact from India.
  Posted by BrightFirefly[/QUOTE]
  
  
  But I think people would have changed their tune.  They would have felt embarrassed for their actions but I think the hatred towards him would have stopped or at least decreased greatly from most of the towns people.  I say this because my grandfather came to Canada from Hungary just before the war and people thought that he was German, when he would correct them most responses were 'oh".

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