Year of Wonders

Discuss the use of a first-person narrator in the novel. How does Anna’s firsthand account affect the depiction of the novel’s events?

How does Year of Wonders explore social responsibility, particularly in specific characters’ responses to the crisis? How does the novel reflect both altruism and cynicism in the various characters’ motivations?

What does the book have to say about the role of religion in society? How do different characters interpret and practice faith? In what ways are they different or similar in their approaches? Why?

Analyze the class dynamics in the novel. How are characters shaped by their socioeconomic status? In what ways does the plague reinforce or subvert class hierarchies and expectations?

How does Year of Wonders depict the gender dynamics of the characters? In what ways do the female characters conform to or challenge gender expectations and roles?

The novel draws a strong contrast between the medicinal healing of Mem, Elinor, and Anna and the traditionally masculine medical practices of the barber-surgeons. What is the significance of this contrast in the text? How does it help explore some of the novel’s key themes and ideas?

How are sexuality and/or romance depicted in the novel? How do these elements relate to issues of gender and power in the text?

What is the significance of the novel’s ending? How does it reflect the substance and trajectory of Anna’s character arc?