Within Arm's Reach

Examine the novel from a feminist lens. What does the novel say about the expectations on the McLaughlin girls and women? How have these expectations changed over the generations?

The novel explores race briefly in the background of Noreen Ballen and her decision to marry Eddie Ortiz. How does the novel depict the racial dynamics? How do the racial dynamics in the novel reflect the ones in American history?

How does the use of different perspectives impact the novel? What does each perspective add to the novel in terms of plot and character development, and thematic support? Why do you think Napolitano chose the perspectives of Gracie, Catharine, Lila, Louis, Kelly, and Noreen Ballen, in particular?

Grayson stresses the importance of Gracie knowing who she is. What do you think knowing who one is means in the story’s context? What are the steps and obstacles in Gracie’s self-discovery?

Napolitano creates a contrast between Gracie and Lila and their paths in the novel. What are the directions of their lives at the beginning of the novel? What are they at the end of the novel? Compare and contrast. What effect do these changes create?

How does Irish Catholicism affect the characters in the novel? What does the novel say about the impact of the McLaughlins’ Irish Catholic upbringing on them?

Napolitano uses magical/supernatural realism in her inclusion of the McLaughlin family’s visions. How do these visions affect the style and tone of the story? What effects do they have on the story?

How does the novel explore the differences between the three McLaughlin generations? How have the family’s values changed over the generations? How have they stayed the same? How do each of the family members’ reactions to Gracie’s pregnancy reflect intergenerational and intragenerational relationships and conflicts?