We all have tragedies, disappointments
and bad times in our lives. Odds are a fair
number of us have used knitting to help us
get through those tough times. Doing
something with your hands, making something
beautiful and being able to focus on the
stitches instead of whatever is wrong can be
deeply comforting.
That
truth is at the heart of Ann Hood's new
novel, The Knitting Circle, a heartbreaking
and heartwarming story about the power of
knitting to save us.
- “Time
heals all wounds.” So goes an old
saying. How does time affect the process
of mourning as witnessed in the lives of
the women in The Knitting Circle?
- What
is it about knitting that makes the
activity so therapeutic?
- Describe
the different reactions to loss
experienced by the various characters in
the novel. What do they hold in common?
What makes each individual’s situation
unique?
- Mary
frequently reacts to others with feelings
of envy and bitterness at their good
fortune, from Beth to Jessica. What
insecurities on Mary’s part are
revealed in her interactions with other
characters in the novel?
- Is
Mary too self-indulgent when it comes to
emerging from her grief?
- Describe
the importance of forgiveness in the
healing processes of the characters in The
Knitting Circle.
- Why
does it take so long for Mamie to open up
to her daughter about her earlier
difficulties in life? Is she entirely to
blame for her reticence, or is Mary
partly responsible as well?
- How
is Mary’s troubled relationship with
Mamie manifested in her grief over
Stella?
- How
does Mary and Dylan’s understanding of
the bond of marriage evolve over the
course of the novel?
- Why
doesn’t Mary’s relationship with
Connor last?
Adapted from: knitting.about.com/od/reviews/fr/knitting_circle.htm