The House Behind the Cedars

Molly’s story is not told until the middle of the novel. How does the author use his narrative voice to foreshadow the full reveal of the family’s secret as well as Rena’s inevitably tragic end?

How does the speech of some characters of color such as Molly Walden and Mary Pettifoot mimic that of elite whites such as Dr. Green? What differences and similarities are there in their respective dialects? What might be the cause of these similarities and differences?

What is the symbolism of Molly’s house? Why is the novel named after the house when so much of the action takes place outside of it?

There are three main male characters: Frank, George, and John. Who is the main male protagonist of the story and why?

Events in the novel take place years before it was written. How does Chesnutt foreshadow the outcome of Reconstruction?

As Rena comes to see herself as having more in common with other black people, how does her treatment of Frank Fowler change?

How does Chesnutt use the character of George Tryon to show the insidious effects of white supremacy on white people?

How is chivalry treated in the novel? In what ways to characters—including George Tryon and Frank Fowler—embody and challenge the ideals of chivalry?