Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- How would this story be different if it was written from James's point of view? Maybeth's? Sammy's?
- Is James right? Are the Tillerman kids just the kind of people that folks like to abandon?
- What is a home really? How do the Tillerman kids' journeys add to their understanding of home?
- What do you think of the people that Dicey and her siblings meet? Were you surprised they encounter more nice people than evil people? How about indifferent people?
- How would the story be different if Dicey and her siblings had more money? How are they viewed because they've been born to poor, unmarried parents?
- Compare and contrast the three homes the Tillermans have in Provincetown, Bridgeport, and Crisfield. Which is the best fit for them? Why?
- Does the entire Tillerman family struggle with mental illness, or is their mental state exacerbated by their circumstances in life?