42 pages • 1 hour read
Strawberry Girl
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Essay Topics
What characteristics make Birdie the protagonist of the novel? How would her status change if the narrative were to incorporate the thoughts and feelings of one of the Slaters instead of Birdie’s?
What effect does carrying the burden of his father’s bad reputation have on Shoestring? Explain your reasoning.
What is the relationship between human society and rural land as described in Strawberry Girl? What larger message does the novel communicate about society, land, progress, and change?
What do the strawberries represent in Strawberry Girl? Consider Birdie’s characterization as the Strawberry Girl, her dedication to the crop, and the challenges and rewards of growing the crop.
Explain the source of Mr. Slater’s antagonism toward the Boyers. Does his motivation for antagonism make him a character who does or does not deserve compassion? Explain your reasoning.
How does Mrs. Boyer’s behavior toward neighbors and her family help articulate a larger theme or message?
Religion is an important element in building community in this novel. Identify two moments in the novel when religion brings people together. What larger theme or message does religion represent?
Why do the other farmers and their children judge the Boyers as being “uppity”? How do their opinions of the Boyers change over time? What larger theme or message does this shift in perception represent?
Birdie and Shoestring have a complicated friendship. Analyze the growth and development of their friendship. What larger theme or message does this shift in their perceptions of one another represent?
At the end of the novel, it is foreshadowed that Florida is on the brink of rapid change. In what ways might Mr. Slater’s opinion that these changes might not be for the best be valid?
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