Study Guide for Cane River
By Susan Thurman

Overview

The following is a resource guide to help your class get the most from reading Lalita Tademy's Cane River. The guide will benefit students of all middle and high school grade levels and abilities. Wherever your teaching interests lie, you may use these ideas to enhance your lessons of the novel. The guide has been organized into the following sections:

I. Preparation, Comprehension, and Analysis

Pre-Reading Discussion Questions

Reading Questions, Chapter by Chapter

Post-Reading Discussion Questions and Research/Writing Projects

Quotes for Response

II. Supplemental Information

Literary Terms

Vocabulary List

Materials Needed

• Lalita Tademy's Cane River
• Internet connection

Time Required

If read in its entirety, Cane River may require from four to eight weeks.

Anticipatory Set

To become familiar with Lalita Tademy and her story, have the students read her narrative on the site.

Pre-Reading Discussion Questions

Following is a list of 35 discussion questions for you to pose to your students before reading the book. These questions serve to stimulate students' thinking about the various themes in Cane River and to help them make connections between what happened in the book and what happens in their lives. The questions are divided into the following sections: pre-reading, Suzette, Philomene, and Emily.

I. Preparation, Comprehension, and Analysis

Pre-reading

1. These questions will help you make connections between what will happen in the book and what you or someone close to you may have already experienced:

1. Think about a time when you have been treated unfairly. What were the circumstances? Why do you think you were treated that way?
2. Have you ever felt that you or members of your family were looked down on? Or, have you or any members of your family looked down on others? What were the circumstances? Why do you think you or others felt that way?

2. These questions will help you make connections between your opinions of events that happen in the book and what happens today:

1. At what age should young women be allowed to date? Is this the same age for young men? Why or why not?
2. Do you believe in ESP? Have you ever felt that you had a hunch about something, and then later the hunch came true? Have you heard ESP called by any other names, such as "The Sight" or "glimpsings?"
3. What superstitions have you ever heard about or seen practiced in your area? Do you believe in any yourself? Do you practice any without really believing in them?

3. These questions will help you make connections between the lives of characters in the novel and students' lives today:

1. If you had to write a list of today's fashions for both men and women, what would you include?
2. Plan a week's worth of ideal meals for yourself and your family--money is no object and calories aren't either. Why would you choose these particular foods? What do you think would be the cost of this week's meals?
3. What kinds of things do you make wishes on (like a star or birthday candles)? Who started that tradition for you? Do you think you'll continue do make these wishes as you grow older? Why or why not?
4. What kinds of music do you turn to when you're sad? Why do you choose that particular music?
5. What is the meal that you eat more often than any others at your house? What is considered an expensive meal at your house? How much do you think that meal costs for everyone in your house? How often do you have that meal?
6. How many pairs of shoes do you currently own? How many shirts or blouses or tops of any kind? How many pairs of pants?
7. What monotonous jobs or chores do you have to do on a regular basis? How often do you do them? Have you ever tried to get out of doing them? If you've been successful at getting out of them, how did you do it?

Suzette

1. These questions will help you make connections between what will happen in the book and what you or someone close to you may have already experienced:

1. Has anyone ever called you a name or addressed you in a way that you thought was demeaning? Have you witnessed this happening to someone else? What were your feelings and reactions?
2. Have you ever been in the company of an older person who made you feel uncomfortable? How did you react? Did you talk with anyone else about your feelings or the circumstances? What was the other person's reaction?
3. Have you ever been with someone you thought was your friend, but that person suddenly developed an attitude of superiority toward you? How did you feel? How did you react?

2. These questions will help you make connections between the lives of characters in the novel and students' lives today:

1. What is the favorite present you've ever received for your birthday or for a holiday? What made that present so memorable? How much do you think that present cost? What has been the most expensive present you've ever received?
2. What names do you call your grandparents? Do you have any nicknames for any family members? How did those nicknames come to be?
3. What kinds of dances are popular in your area? Do lots of people attend the dances? Do any people learn dances from days gone by?
4. If you're feeling sad, what do you think about to comfort yourself? What about this subject makes you feel better?
5. What is your most prized possession--the item that you would never sell? How would your life change if, suddenly, that item were no longer a part of your life?
6. When adults are visiting your home, what kinds of board games or video games do they play? Do you join in? Why or why not?
7. Has one of your parents--or another adult to whom you're close--ever told you that he or she had a problem similar to one that you've experienced? Did the older person's advice help you in knowing how (or how not) to handle the situation?

Philomene

1. These questions will help you make connections between what will happen in the book and what you or someone close to you may have already experienced:

1. Has anyone ever told you that something you said was dangerous or unsafe for your future? If so, how did you react? Do you agree with the other person's assessment of what you said? Do you understand why the other person said it?
2. In talking about Clement, Elisabeth says to Philomene, "His brown doesn't make him bad, and your yellow doesn't make you good." What other traits do you see people being judged on--traits that really are neither bad nor good?

2. These questions will help you make connections between the lives of characters in the novel and students' lives today:

1. If you envision getting married, what kind of wedding would you like to have? Where would you like for it to take place? Whom would you like to be a part of it? What kind of clothes do you envision for yourself and those in the wedding? What kinds of flowers would you like to have? What kinds of rings would you choose? Do you envision a big reception? If you do, describe what you'd like to have at the reception. How much do you think that such a wedding (and reception) would cost, and who do you think would pay for the event?
2. Think of the dreams that you had for yourself when you were a child. Do you still hold on to any of those dreams? If so, what do you think are the chances that they will come true? If not, why did those dreams change?
3. Where do you see yourself at age 25? What dreams do you have for yourself for that age?
4. Elisabeth says to Philomene, "They said in the quarter that nursing kept you from the next baby." What other wives' tales have you heard about babies?
5. Why was the first name chosen for you? If you have a middle name, why was that name chosen? At this point in your life, what names would you give your children?
6. When Philomene made a journey to see her grandmother, Elisabeth said to her, "You came to me to rest." To whom do you turn when you need "to rest?" What about that person gives you comfort?

Emily

1. These questions will help you make connections between what will happen in the book and what you or someone close to you may have already experienced:

1. Have you ever had something terrible happen to you, and you finally had to tell yourself that you'd let go of the sadness because dragging around all the time was ruining your life?
2. Did letting go help?

2. These questions will help you make connections between the lives of characters in the novel and students' lives today.

1. Fill in the blank: A person should find a spouse by age ____________, or else that person is likely to never marry. Why did you choose that age?
2. Are chaperones still needed in the 21st century? If so, at what age should young adults be allowed to go out without a chaperone? At what age should young adults be allowed to attend a party that has no chaperones?
3. What is the most complicated or time-consuming haircut or hairdo you've ever had or ever seen? Describe it.
4. (Emily) How much say should parents have in the people whom their children date? At what age should a person be able to date whomever he or she wants?
5. How much input should parents have in the religion that their children practice? How much input should parents have in the way that their children speak (the grammar that their children use)? What should happen if two parents disagree about religion? What should happen if two parents disagree about grammar? How much influence should grandparents have in their grandchildren's religion? In their grandchildren's use of language?

Reading Questions

You may use the following to check for student comprehension while reading the novel.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

1. How was Emily related to the author?
2. What was Emily's nickname?
3. To whom did the author's mother compare 'Tite?
4. While interracial marriage was not against the law during most of 'Tite's life, it was against ______________.

5. Why had the author been "unsympathetic" to Emily's memory?

6. For what type of company had the author worked?

7. What definition of "Creole" did the author come to understand?

8. When was the heyday of Cane River?

9. What amazing fact did the author discover about the free people of color, the gens de couleur libre?

10. Where does the author say that Philomene visited her?

11. Why did the author sometimes change a name, date, or circumstance?

PART ONE

SUZETTE

Chapter 1

1. In what year does the narrative begin?

2. Why do you think that the author chose to begin the novel with the account of Suzette and the rosebushes?

3. "The only evidence that Suzette had been gone at all was a thin, jagged scratch on her bare arm from a thorn she hadn't seen in the darkness." What might this thorn be a symbol of?

4. Where had Suzette gotten her clothes?

5. Why was the cookhouse not in the main house?

6. "The quarter" consisted of how many houses for slaves?

7. Why had Elisabeth never been to the Church of St. Augustine?

8. Suzette had been told that there was much pride in being a slave meant for the _____________ and not the ________________.

9. From where had Elisabeth come?

10. What did the evening meal consist of for people who lived in the quarter?

11. What was the heritage of Gerasíme, Suzette's father?

12. For what reason did Françoise Derbanne slap Suzette?

13. Why did Narcisse Fredieu's mother think that the seating arrangement at church was improper?

14. What was the relationship between Louis Derbanne and Suzette's godmother, Doralise Derbanne?

15. Suzette requested that Oreline teach her _____________________, but Oreline says that Suzette is not allowed.

16. Where did Suzette sleep?

Chapter 2

17. On what date does this chapter begin?

18. Outside the church, what had Madame Françoise given to Oreline and Suzette?

19. What had Nicolas given to Suzette?

20. Elisabeth tells Suzette, "Reaching too deep into something not meant for you is full of pain." What did she mean by that?

21. At the soiree, Narcisse addressed Suzette as ________________, which greatly upset her.

22. The readers learn that Palmire was born with what conditions?

23. How did Louis Derbanne describe the plantation (and, by implication, the institution of slavery)?

24. Louis Derbanne further said that the slave owners took the slaves out of Africa. Then, what did they do?

Chapter 3

25. What Christmas present did each slave receive?

26. Who is Solataire?

27. What about Elisabeth had shamed Suzette?

28. What about her sisters had shamed Suzette?

29. Eugene Daurat told Suzette that she reminded him of what?

30. Given what you know about Suzette's position as a slave, how should she have handled the night that Eugene Daurat raped her?

31. Explain the symbolism of this passage, which occurs just after the rape: "[Suzette] heard night calls from the woods, skittering creatures out prowling for food or trying to avoid becoming some bigger prey's next meal."

Chapter 4

32. How much time has elapsed when this chapter begins?

33. Where was Suzette when Eugene Daurat gave her presents?

34. What sexual problem does the author imply that Palmire has to face?

35. Marriage between Suzette and Eugene was not only ________________________; it was also _______________________.

36. Why did Elisabeth want Suzette to tell Françoise about the pregnancy?

37. What was Françoise's reaction to the news?

38. What news about Eugene did Oreline let Suzette overhear?

39. Who was responsible for overseeing the birth of slaves on Rosedew?

40. Suzette wanted to call her baby Philomene; but instead, Françoise gave him what name?

41. Who had taken Suzette's place during her time off?

42. How long had Eugene Daurat's trip to France lasted?

Chapter 5

43. Whom had Louis Derbanne not freed in his will?

44. To what did Suzette compare her forced meetings with Eugene?

45. What caused Eugene to leave Suzette alone?

46. To whom did Suzette's title "the Ones with Last Names" refer?

46. What favor did Suzette ask of Doralise?

47. In appearance, whom did Philomene favor?

48. The talk outside the cabin is that Doralise had obtained what?

Chapter 6

49. At this time, how large was Rosedew?

50. How old was Oreline now?

51. What had Françoise stopped making the overseer account to her for?

52. What proposition did the overseer have about saving the plantation?

53. Whom did Oreline marry?

Chapter 7

54. What was all that Suzette cared about now?

55. When Philomene tells her mother that she can handle Françoise by herself, what does Suzette reply?

56. Why was Gerasíme ill?

57. How much time had passed since Palmire's children had been sold?

58. With whom did Eugene Daurat now openly live?

59. Explain the irony about this statement from Oreline to Suzette: "I don't think you appreciate how much I've done for you already."

60. Explain the symbolism of what Suzette says to Oreline: "Look at the roses…still pretty. Those flowers know how to keep on blooming year after year whether they're looked after or not."

61. Suzette got on her knees to beg Eugene to either __________________________ Gerant or to _________________ him.

62. Whom did Suzette ask Narcisse to buy?

63. What did Suzette have to get from Oreline to go to church?

64. What did Suzette ask of Doralise?

Chapter 8

65. What did Elisabeth say that Philomene's "glimpsings" meant "at the heart?"

66. What does Elisabeth mean when she says to Philomene, "[Clement's] brown doesn't make him bad, and your yellow doesn't make you good?"

67. Who were John and Jacob, as explained by Elisabeth?

68. Why do you think that the slaves had been given double rations for two weeks and had not been given fresh lashes before the sale?

69. What movement did the overseer show that let the slaves know that he might get rough with them if they didn't follow orders?

70. What is ironic about this statement: "On auction day, it was honorable to provide full disclosure among gentlemen, seller to buyer, of any damaged merchandise?"

Chapter 9

71. Who was the executor of the Rosedew estate?

72. Explain the irony of this statement: "Although [Daurat] considered himself very capable in the art of trade, he had not felt up to the challenge of peddling human beings himself, so he had hired an experienced auctioneer from Natchitoches."

73. When Philomene came to talk with Eugene, what name did she call herself?

74. What was the new decree about the freeing of slaves?

75. Explain the irony of these statements: "The spectators embraced what they considered to be the kindnesses of the day. Mademoiselle Landry buying Dick and Lucy as a pair. The benevolence of Joseph Ferrier and his wife, Oreline, taking in the cook's daughter and one of her children and her deaf-mute sister as well…."

76. Why had Eugene not married Doralise?

Chapter 10

77. Among how many plantations had Suzette's family been divided?

78. What "glimpsing" about the family did Philomene relate to Suzette?

79. What did Doralise give to Philomene?

80. Why did Suzette have to work in the field?

81. What did Palmire die of?

PART TWO

PHILOMENE

Chapter 11

1. Explain what this statement means: "At some point, … [Philomene] had begun to sense the singular nature of [Narcisse's] watching…"

2. What had happened to Narcisse's first wife, Mam'zelle Tranquillin?

3. Explain the double meaning in Narcisse's statement to Philomene, "I have an interest in you."

4. Philomene described Doralise as being "shrewd." Explain what she meant by that.

5. Suzette said to Philomene, "The only thing [Eugene] gave me was children closer to white. That makes you better than most." Support or refute her statement.

6. When Philomene asks her mother what she can do if Narcisse forces himself on her, Suzette says, "You ask the wrong person." What recommendation would you give to her?

Chapter 12

7. What can you infer from Clement's words to Philomene when he says, "Out in the field when the sun burns, I think of you. In the stable over the red-hot anvil, I think of you. At night on my pallet, I think of you. You and the baby."

8. What was the "glimpsing" that Philomene had about Clement?

9. Explain the irony of what the priest said at the wedding ceremony.

10. Explain what is meant by the statement: "…they were…married, after a fashion, as much as they were allowed to be."

11. Why were the twins' names chosen to be Elisabeth and Bethany?

Chapter 13

12. By law, what were Clement and Philomene allowed to own?

13. What had Clement been serving as for two years?

14. Explain the irony of this statement: "Tessier let [Clement] keep half of all he earned and held the money for him."

15. Explain the symbolism of the images on Clement's chair.

16. What choice did Clement make when he threw something from the boat?

17. The regular price for passage for a man and a horse to go across the river on the ferry was $1.00. What fraction of that price was Clement charged?

18. What did Narcisse mean when he said, "If it was up to me, you'd pay for the loss in more ways than one."

Chapter 14

19. How long did Suzette want Clement to wait until he left?

20. Why did Philomene want Clement to leave right away?

Chapter 15

21. Regarding the situation with Clement, what did Narcisse tell Tessier that he might be willing to do?

22. Who also was interested in buying Clement?

23. Explain how the situation with Clement was resolved.

Chapter 16

24. What kept Philomene hopeful that Narcisse would keep a safe distance from her?

25. What did Clement do to try to prevent the return of yellow fever?

26. About Ferrier's death, what did Oreline learn about the land?

27. What did Narcisse tell Oreline that, under the circumstances, she could no longer afford to keep?

28. Why do you think that Philomene refused to talk?

Chapter 18

29. "There was a freedom in not talking." State what you think this means.

30. What news did Narcisse and Oreline give Philomene about her babies?

31. Which two people nursed Philomene?

32. Why do you think that Philomene had such a persistent need to see her babies' graves?

33. Do you think that Narcisse was right or wrong to bury the babies together? Explain your opinion.

34. What did Elisabeth advise Philomene to hold on to?

35. Cite some of the reduced circumstances that Philomene had to endure when she moved to the Houbre farm.

Chapter 19

36. What age was Philomene now?

37. Explain what this quote means: "This was the face of slavery. To have nothing and still have something more to lose."

38. Whose presence had formerly protected Philomene?

39. In how many of her "glimpsings" had Philomene seen Narcisse?

40. When Philomene said that she wanted freedom, land, money, and protection for all of her family, Elisabeth said that Philomene was playing with fire. Do you agree or disagree with Elisabeth's assessment? Be sure to support your argument.

41. Explain how Philomene got Narcisse to build her a small cabin.

Chapter 20

42. In what year does this chapter take place?

43. What news did Henry and Hypolite Herzog give to those who assembled to say goodbye to the volunteers?

44. When Philomene introduced Emily to Narcisse, what demand did she make on Emily's behalf?

Chapter 21

45. Philomene says that Oreline could have paid her respects to Gerasíme by doing what?

46. How had Solataire gotten his bruises?

47. Explain what this quote means: "Gerasíme harvested joy in the same barren patch that for others bore bitter fruit."

48. Explain what Philomene means when she whispers to Emily, "Bloom where you're planted."

Chapter 22

49. How had young Florentine died?

50. Explain the irony of this quote from Narcisse: "The Negroes in the field and the house are skating along the ragged edge of disobedience."

51. Explain what was meant by the package and the note, "Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight."

Chapter 23

52. In 1863, why hadn't Oreline planted any cotton?

53. What two chores did Oreline refuse to do?

54. Why do you think that Philomene chose to tell Narcisse that her "glimpsing" showed Emily reading a book?

55. Why were the Confederate soldiers burning all of the cotton?

56. What was the result of the mule kicking Philomene?

57. Explain this simile: "…[The smothering odor of flaming raw cotton] smelled to [Philomene] like freedom."

Chapter 24

58. Explain the irony of Oreline's questions to Philomene: "How can you think to leave me now? After all I've done for you and your family?"

59. When Oreline told Philomene that Philomene owed her six months, what did Philomene reply?

60. How had Narcisse recovered some of his wealth?

61. What was the next "glimpsing" that Philomene related to Narcisse?

Chapter 25

62. Who did the "high-yellow man" turn out to be?

63. What was Clement's fate?

64. What did Elisabeth mean when she thought, "He gave with one hand and He took with the other?" (Note the capitalization)

65. Do you think that Philomene really couldn't "feel" Clement any longer? Why or why not?

Chapter 26

66. Why does Suzette say that Cane River was topsy-turvy?

67. Who had chosen the family's last name?

68. Explain what Suzette meant by this: "Sharecropping is slavery with a different name."

69. Suzette says, she "knew the first evening over at Madame Doralise's [that she and Nicolas were destined for each other], and so did he, like time skipped back and we got a second try." Do you think such a scenario is possible in real life? Why or why not?

70. Explain what Suzette means when she says, "Eugene Daurat and me, there was no choice. Love is pull. That was all push."

Chapter 27

71. How was Philomene earning extra money?

72. What was the next "glimpsing" that Philomene related to Narcisse?

73. Do you think that Narcisse was telling the truth when he said the reason he was sending Emily to New Orleans was because he wanted to further her education? Defend your position.

Chapter 28

74. What was the nickname that Joseph invented for Emily?

75. Explain the illegal means of making money that Narcisse devised.

Chapter 29

76. What was Joseph's present to Emily on her 16th birthday?

77. Explain what is meant by this quote: "But [Emily] was colored and Joseph was white, and to most those were the defining facts that mattered. In the cotton house there were no such discussions, no such limitations."

Chapter 30

78. Legally, Narcisse could pass his inheritance only to his ___________________ children.

79. How did Philomene know that her spell over Narcisse had been broken?

80. What was Narcisse's reaction to the news that Philomene was pregnant again?

81. Summarize the details about what had happened to Bet.

82. How much land did Philomene have?

83. Explain why Philomene's fingers "seized up with the sudden recognition."

PART THREE

EMILY

Chapter 31

1. What was talked about obliquely, as if it were an affliction that Emily had escaped, a void of understanding that made her fortunate?

Chapter 32

2. Explain why, in Narcisse's mind, the situation with Joseph and Emily was troubling.

Chapter 33

3. Why was Emily relieved whenever a steamboat signaled that there was no delivery?

4. What did Joseph request that Philomene part with so that he could move it to the new house?

5. In convincing Emily's family that she would be better off living with him, Joseph said, "A woman's place is with her man." Under the circumstances, do you agree or disagree with him? Be sure to defend your answer.

6. Why did Joseph's cousins move back to New Orleans?

7. Explain Bet's reasoning for having no fondness for Narcisse.

Chapter 34

8. When the census-taker asked who headed the household, Elisabeth replied that Philomene did. Do you think she was correct? Why or why not?

Chapter 35

9. Explain the symbolism of the burned image of the moon on Emily's arm.

10. What did Bet meant when she said, "Mémère Elisabeth connected us?"

11. Why did Joseph decide to move?

Chapter 36

12. The store had been enlarged to accommodate whom?

13. How much was Emily's "allowance?"

14. Do you think that Narcisse was right or wrong in urging Joseph to change his living arrangements? Support your opinion.

15. What two events took place after the warning to Joseph?

Chapter 37

16. What was Philomene's reaction upon visiting Narcisse's grave?

17. Do you think that Angelite should have accompanied Jacques to France? Defend your position.

18. What were the only items that Emily asked for that would go in the new house?

Chapter 38

19. In light of all that Suzette had to say, do you agree or disagree with Philomene's decision to move the family across the river? Support your opinion.

20. What "new ground" did Angelite break?

Chapter 39

21. What announcement did Joseph make about his land?

22. Defend or denounce T.O.'s habit of spying.

Chapter 40

23. Why had Frank Rigsby's house been burned?

24. Joseph told 'Tite that he had left everything to whom?

Chapter 41

25. After the conversation between Joseph and Lola, whose voice did T.O. recognize?

Chapter 42

26. What news did the sheriff bring?

27. Why do you think that the boys denied that the pistol belonged to Joseph?

28. In your own words, state the impossibilities of Joseph's death that were reported in the newspaper.

29. Explain what Philomene meant when she said, "The only thing to do now is stay out of the way until the blood appetite passes."

30. According to the Colfax Chronicle, what was Joseph's crime?

Chapter 43

31. What was the threat that Antoine gave to T.O.?

Chapter 44

32. Explain what Emily meant when she said of Joseph, "They took him away twice."

33. In the will that Antoine read, to whom did Joseph leave all his possessions?

34. What news did Antoine give about the original copy of the will that was found at Joseph's house?

35. What was the result of T.O.'s court action?

Chapter 45

36. Why were Nick and Kate able to be married?

37. "[Philomene] felt helpless when she thought about her grandson [T.O.]." What do you think she could have done to help T.O.? Defend your opinion.

38. Why was Philomene upset with the children?

Chapter 46

39. Do you agree or disagree that T.O.'s marrying a colored Creole would be "the boldest act of courage he [could have] undertaken?" Explain your opinion.

40. Explain what Philomene meant when she told T.O., "Don't waste what came before. Add to it."

41. What demands did Eva eventually make of T.O.?

Chapter 47

42. Why wouldn't Emily wear her bonnets any more?

Chapter 48

43. Where was Emily keeping her $1,300 in cash?

44. What was Emily's reaction to not being waited on when it was her turn?

45. Why do you think that the author chose to end the book with the story about the black man having to get food from the back of the restaurant and then eat it outside?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

1. Emily was her great-grandmother; 2.'Tite; 3. To Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy; 4. Custom; 5. Because of Emily's ('Tite's) skin color biases; 6. For a high technology company (for a Fortune 500 company) (the text does not say this, but the company was Sun Microsystems); 7. Creoles were only the white French-speaking descendants of the early French settlers (of Louisiana); 8. The early 1800s; 9. They had a great deal of land, were wealthy, and were likely to be slave owners; 10. In her dreams; 11. To accommodate the narrative flow.

PART ONE

SUZETTE

Chapter 1

1. 1834; 2. (Answers may vary, but perhaps because this immediately shows the reader how unfair and difficult life was); 3. (Answers may vary, but perhaps the thorn symbolizes the difficulty of Suzette's life); 4. From her "mam'zelle"; 5. Because of the risk of fire; 6. Eight; 7. Elisabeth had never been allowed off the plantation; 8. House, field; 9. Virginia; 10. Ground cornmeal and a ration of bacon; 11. Half Negro, half Indian; 12. Because Suzette said that Monsieur Derbanne had gotten sick from bourbon; 13. Because the whites were seated behind the "colored" people; 14. Doralise was Louis's (illegitimate) daughter; 15. How to read; 16. In a pallet that was kept under Oreline's bed.

Chapter 2

17. 1837; 18. Their own rosaries; 19. A piece of cowhide; 20. She meant that Suzette could be deeply hurt if she continued to think that her life would be the way she envisioned it; 21. Girl; 22. She was born deaf and dumb; 23. As "the fulfillment of God's design;" 24. lifted them up.

Chapter 3

25. A new blanket; 26. Suzette's brother; 27. The way Elisabeth talked; 28. The coarse clothes they wore; 29. His home in France (the town called Bordeaux); 30. Answers will vary; 31. Answers will vary.

Chapter 4

32. It was late December at the end of chapter 3, and now it is March; 33. Always in the woods; never in the house; 34. The implication is that Louis Derbanne is raping Palmire; 35. Against the law, unspeakable; 36. Elisabeth was afraid Françoise would think that Françoise's husband was the father of the baby; 37. Answers will vary, but Françoise said that Suzette's being pregnant was "not the Christian way," and that Suzette's people "could not help" themselves; 38. That Eugene was leaving for France; 39. Françoise; 40. Gerant; 41. Suzette's sister Apphia; 42. Three months.

Chapter 5

43. His three children by Palmire; 44. To cleaning the outhouse: "the task had to be performed from time to time, and when finished, she could go on to other things she didn't mind as much;" 45. She told him she was again pregnant and asked that he free his children by her; 46. To anyone who was not a slave, as slaves were given only Christian (first) names; 46. That Doralise be godmother to Suzette's new baby; 47. Eugene Daurat (her father); 48. A divorce from Philippe.

Chapter 6

49. Less than 800 acres; 50. As old as Suzette, since they were the same age; 51. Punishment meted out in the field; 52. He proposed that Palmire's three children be sold; 53. Joseph Ferrier.

Chapter 7

54. Her own family; 55. Suzette says that is "dangerous talk," echoing what her own mother Elisabeth had once said to her; 56. He had been whipped five times; 57. Seven years; 58. Doralise Derbanne; 59. Answers will vary; 60. Answers will vary; 61. Free, buy; 62. Elisabeth and Gerasíme; 63. A pass; 64. That either she or Eugene would buy Gerant.

Chapter 8

65. That Philomene and Clement would have some life together; 66. She means that neither Clement's brown skin nor Philomene's yellow skin is what determines their character; 67. Her sons by the master of the Virginia plantation where she had lived; 68. So that they would look healthy to the buyers; 69. He caressed his whip; 70. Answers will vary.

Chapter 9

71. Eugene Daurat; 72. Answers will vary; 73. Philomene Daurat (she used his last name); 74. Slaves could not be freed until they reached the age of 30 (and they must be moved out of the state within one year); 75. Answers will vary; 76. The marriage of a white man and a free woman of color was against the law.

Chapter 10

77. Seven; 78. That they would all be together again one day; 79. A little rock that Clement had found and wanted Philomene to have; 80. Palmire had become ill, and Ferrier insisted that Suzette take Palmire's place; 81. Cholera.

PART TWO

PHILOMENE

Chapter 11

1. Answers will vary; 2. She had died of cholera; 3. Answers will vary (for instance, he had both a monetary and a romantic interest in her); 4. Answers will vary; 5. Answers will vary; 6. Answers will vary.

Chapter 12

7. Answers will vary; 8. She saw his bony cold and still, near a river; 9. Answers will vary; 10. Answers will vary; 11. They were named after their grandmothers.

Chapter 13

12. Nothing; 13. A blacksmith's apprentice; 14. Answers will vary; 15. Answers will vary; 16. He threw the chair instead of the hide; 17. Clement was charged half the regular price; 18. Answers will vary.

Chapter 14

19. Until the storm passed; 20. She thought that something was "false" about Narcisse sending Clement to her.

Chapter 15

21. To buy Clement (minus the price of the skins); 22. Ferrier; 23. Answers will vary.

Chapter 16

24. His reverence for her "glimpsings;" 25. Burn patches of tar around the house once a week; 26. The land was his mother's, not his; 27. All of the slaves; 28. Answers will vary.

Chapter 18

29. Answers will vary; 30. Both the babies had died of yellow fever; 31. Suzette and Oreline; 32. Answers will vary; 33. Answers will vary; 34. Philomene's "glimpsing;" 35. She had only a small storeroom to sleep in, she had to sleep on a moss-filled mattress, she had to care after six children--none of whom were her own, she didn't have a fireplace of her own to keep warm.

Chapter 19

36. Seventeen; 37. Answers will vary; 38. Her father's (Eugene Daurat's); 39. None; 40. Answers will vary; 41. Answers will vary.

Chapter 20

42. 1861; 43. Gerasíme had died that morning; 44. That Emily must never work in the field.

Chapter 21

45. By attending the funeral; 46. A white man said Solataire hadn't gotten off the road fast enough; 47. Answers will vary; 48. Answers will vary.

Chapter 22

49. From typhoid fever; 50. Answers will vary; 51. Answers will vary, but the fact remains that Narcisse was able to buy his way out of serving in the army.

Chapter 23

52. She couldn't sell what cotton she already had; 53. Work in the field and wash clothes; 54. Answers will vary; 55. So the Yankees wouldn't get it; 56. She lost her baby; 57. Answers will vary.

Chapter 24

58. Answers will vary; 59. "And what do you owe me for selling my Clement to Virginia?"; 60. He had cotton that had been stored on his wife's farm in Campti; 61. That they would have a son.

Chapter 25

62. Elisabeth's son, John; 63. He died when he'd been bitten by a water moccasin and then fell into the river and drowned; 64. Answers will vary; 65. Answers will vary.

Chapter 26

66. Answers will vary; 67. Elisabeth; 68. Answers will vary; 69. Answers will vary; 70. Answers will vary.

Chapter 27

71. By ironing; 72. That he could find wives, but he could have babies only with her (she said she saw him visiting the graves of two wives, and, when he was through, he came back to Philomene and their children; 73. Answers will vary.

Chapter 28

74. Mademoiselle Petite; 75. Answers will vary.

Chapter 29

76. A pair of black lace gloves; 77. Answers will vary.

Chapter 30

78. Legitimate; 79. She heard that another woman was pregnant by him; 80. He hit her; 81. Answers will vary; 82. 163 acres; 83. She was seeing the fulfillment of her first "glimpsing."

PART THREE

EMILY

Chapter 31

1. Slavery.

Chapter 32

2. Answers will vary.

Chapter 33

3. That meant that she would get away from the backbreaking work that came to her when a steamboat docked; 4. The oil painting of Emily; 5. Answers will vary; 6. They didn't want to live with Emily; 7. Answers will vary (for instance, according to Bet, he "stole both my mother and father from me…[H]e kept me from my people.").

Chapter 34

8. Answers will vary.

Chapter 35

9. Answers will vary; 10. Answers will vary; 11. He said that the family would be safer with him gone than with him there, (or) the townspeople were upset about the living arrangements at Joseph's house.

Chapter 36

12. The Mexicans, the hill workers, and the Negroes; 13. Two dollars a month; 14. Answers will vary; 15. The barn was burned, and five chickens had their throats slit.

Chapter 37

16. She spat on it; 17. Answers will vary; 18. The rosebushes, her horse, the painting of herself.

Chapter 38

19. Answers will vary; 20. She married first, then bore a child.

Chapter 39

21. That it would go to his children and grandchildren when he died; 22. Answers will vary.

Chapter 40

23. He, a white man, was living with a black woman; 24. His nephew (Antoine Morat).

Chapter 41

25. Antoine's voice.

Chapter 42

26. That Joseph and Lola were dead (that Joseph had killed his wife); 27. Answers will vary; 28. Answers will vary, but they should include Joseph shooting himself in the head, cutting his throat, and also shooting himself in the face with a rifle; 29. She meant that the family should remain in the background until the desire for more killing had subsided; 30. Raising a colored family.

Chapter 43

31. To either leave and go home or to end up dead, (or) if T.O. repeated what he had said to Antoine, T.O.'s entire family would be killed.

Chapter 44

32. Answers will vary; 33. To Antoine; 34. It had disappeared, (or) it was a mistake; 35. He was "laughed out of court," (or) the judge told him to show a marriage certificate between Joseph and Emily.

Chapter 45

36. Nick lied about his color; 37. Answers will vary; 38. They had been digging in the front yard, and--according to superstition--that meant someone was going to die.

Chapter 46

39. Answers will vary; 40. Answers will vary; 41. That they would move from Emily's house, that their children would be raised in the Baptist faith, that their children would not speak French.

Chapter 47

42. Her granddaughter had told her that the bonnets were no longer in fashion

Chapter 48

43. It was sewn in her mattress; 44. She left the store; 45. Answers will vary.

Post-Reading Discussion Questions and Research/Writing Projects

Note that the Oprah Book Club edition of Cane River features a number of discussion questions in the back (these are not included in the hardback edition). These questions are also available online at these sites:

• http://readinggroupguides.com/guides/cane_river.asp
• http://www.twbookmark.com/books/35/0446678457/reading_guide14703.html
• http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cfm?page=title&titleID=803&view=guide

Additional discussion questions are available at this site:

• http://mlhopps.faculty.tcnj.edu/reading_questions_for_cane_river.htm

The Interracial Family Alliance of Houston has a helpful page with a number of links for informative sites at:

• http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/IFAO9538/default.htm.

1. Cane River covers 137 years of family history. Use the template in Cane River to create your own family tree. Interview as many family members as you can to see how far back you can trace your ancestors.
2. Cane River begins and ends with the fact that Emily died in 1936 with $1,300 in cash hidden under her mattress. Determine how much money this would be in modern terms. You may use this inflation calculator: http://www.westegg.com/inflation/.
3. Think of someone who would enjoy reading this book, and send that person a Cane River e-card by going to this site: http://www.oprah.com/postcards/obc/obc_20020925_postcard.jhtml.
4. Read and summarize the main points of the Oprah Winfrey-led interview of Cane River author Lalita Tademy, which is available at: http://www.oprah.com/obc/pastbooks/lalita_tademy/obc_20010914_discussion.jhtml.
5. Watch and summarize the main points of the Oprah Winfrey-led interview of Cane River author Lalita Tademy. Click on "The Show Discussion" at: http://www.oprah.com/obc/pastbooks/lalita_tademy/obc_pb_20010620.jhtml.
6. Read and summarize the online interview with Lalita Tademy, which you can find at this site: http://www.oprah.com/obc/pastbooks/lalita_tademy/obc_20010914_profile.jhtml.
7. Write any part of the book from the point of view of a different character.
8. Compose a letter to any of the children who were sold away in slavery.
9. Draw a picture of one of the soirées.
10. King Cotton was the crop that was vitally important to all of the plantations around Cane River. Research cotton as a 19th century crop and as a crop today.
11. A genealogist hired by the author found a bill of sale for Elisabeth, who had been sold in 1850 for $800. To determine what that amount would be in modern terms, you may use this inflation calculator: http://www.westegg.com/inflation.
12. Louis Derbanne, the owner of one of the plantations, considered himself to be a good master and thought that he treated his slaves as his extended family. He did not understand that owning slaves was evil, and he was ignorant of how mistreated they were. Cite examples in the book of what slave life was like under Louis Derbanne.
13. During much of the setting in Cane River, people who could afford their own buggies and rode in them. Research various styles of buggies in this period.
14. "[Philomene] would have jumped the broom…but she wanted something like the real ceremony the white people had." Research "jumping the broom" at these sites:

• http://www.anyiams.com/jumping_the_broom.htm
• http://home.kc.rr.com/gemstone/jumping.html
• http://www.afrocentricnews.com/html/person_lynn_jump_the_broom.html.
• Research blacksmithing in the past and as a 21st-century profession.
• Sometimes Clement was paid in Spanish coins called picayunes. Research the evolution of this money using these links:
• http://www.elcazador.com/Evolcoin.htm
• http://www.coins.nd.edu/ColCoin/ColCoinIntros/Sp-Silver.intro.html.
• Explain the symbolism of Clement's chair, which he carved with two images: the full-faced boldness of a brown bear near the top and, directly underneath, the silhouette of a deer in flight.
• Cane River was plagued with yellow fever in the summers of 1855 and 1856. Research this illness, the treatments that were formerly used with it, and those currently used to fight it.
• In treating Ferrier's fever, the family knew that there was "nothing more a doctor would have done, even if they had been able to get one, short of letting blood." Research the medicinal value--or lack of value--of bloodletting.
• In 1858, Eugene Daurat sold Gerant for $1,650. To determine how much that would be in modern terms, see the web site:http://www.westegg.com/inflation.
• Research the history of the 1861 Louisiana secession from the Union. Sites you may want to use include these:
• http://www.abraham-lincoln.org/louisianasecession.com
• http://www.enlou.com/time/year1861.htm.

15. In 1861, Louisiana seceded from the Union. Compare what was happening in Louisiana with what was happening in your state in 1861. If you are from Louisiana, compare the events of 1861 in Louisiana with those of another state of your choice.
16. At Gerasíme's funeral, some of the talk was about Euger, a slave who had "run off:" "They haven't caught him yet. Pray for him that he made it out." Research how this slave may have escaped on the Underground Railroad. One site that may help is here: http://www.coe.ilstu.edu/jabraun/fall02/ci258.02/public/webpages/boden
17. Conscription (draft) laws went into effect in the South in April 1862, and all men between ages 18-45 were required to serve in the Confederacy for three years (some exemptions applied). Research conscription laws in US history. One site to use is this: http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_drft.html.
18. After he received his exemption from serving in the war, Narcisse received a package with a note that said, "Rich Man's War, Poor Man's Fight." To explain the meaning behind that message, see the tables in this site: http://icg.harvard.edu/~hist1623/Sections/Mobilization_Statistics.htm.
19. Research the music that ws popular during the Civil War. You can use these sites:
• http://users.erols.com/kfraser/union/songs/index.html
• http://users.erols.com/kfraser/confederate/songs/index.html
• http://users.erols.com/kfraser/music/popular.html.
20. When Emily attends a boarding school in New Orleans, Narcisse goes to the city's French Quarter. This area is still quite a drawing card today. To research the French Quarter and the history of it, try this site: http://www.frenchquarter.com/_php/_history.php.
21. In 1872, Narcisse sold his cotton for just over eight cents a pound; the next year Gerant worked for six cents an hour. Convert these prices to modern equivalents, using this converter: http://www.westegg.com/inflation/.
22. Emily heard the sharp, shrill whistle of the steamboat Danube. You can hear other steamboat whistles at this site: http://www.steamboats.org/eblow.htm.
23. Bet says, "Bad luck follows yellow roses, but red brings good." Superstitions abound about roses and other flowers. Research some of these at the following sites:
• http://www.flowers.com.cy/flowerguide/symbolism.shtml
• http://www.valentineroses.com/therose.htm
• http://www.romancestuck.com/ideas/flowersymbolism.htm.
24. Besides flowers, Bet talks about other superstitions. Philomene believes in lucky fruit, and Elisabeth believes in burying a hair from a horse's tail. Interview people about common superstitions in your area and compile a list of these commonly held beliefs.
25. Elisabeth supervised the making of a patchwork quilt. Research such quilts at these sites:
• http://highlightpro.com/learn.htm
• http://www.womensearlyart.net/quilts.
26. At age 85, Elisabeth "was almost through with this life…. There had been two things that sustained her along the way and made the letting go bearable. One was her God, and the other was her family." Interview someone in his or her 80s and ask what has sustained that person in life. From the person's initial answers, try to get the interviewee to elaborate on his or her life.
27. Elisabeth had been interviewed for the 1880 census. If a census was conducted in your area in 1880, obtain a copy of it and report some of the information that you discover about the forbearers in your area.
28. This book spans the years between 1834 and 1936. Choose a period of time and compare and contrast what was going on in your part of the country with was happening in Cane River. Use old newspapers or copies of local histories.
29. If you live in or near the county where some of your ancestors lived, take a trip to the courthouse and find copies of wills or deeds of some of your ancestors.
30. A number of laws against equality of African Americans were important in the book. Research other laws that restricted freedoms of any group(s) of people.
31. Chapter 42 contains an article from The Colfax Chronicle that gives an account of the killing of Joseph and Lola. Pretend you are T.O. and write the article from his point of view.
32. Many examples of prejudice are described in Cane River. Cite examples from people of all races.
33. In the late 1890s, "Night Riders" became a major force in the lives of the people along Cane River. Research "Night Riders" and the havoc they wreaked in various parts of the country.
34. Emily wonders about how her family members felt when they were the same age that she was. Interview family members of your own and ask them about their lives when they were your age.
35. At the end of the novel, readers see Emily being subjected to prejudice when white customers were waited on in the general store before she was, even though she had been in the store longer. At that time, "Jim Crow laws" were in effect in many areas of the South, and these laws resulted in further discrimination against African Americans. Research these laws.
36. In 1936, Colfax "seemed to be shrinking instead of growing." Interview older people or research old files and find out what was happening in your town in 1936.
37. Write an essay in which you state whether or not the issue of light/dark complexion is still a problem today. Be sure to defend your position.
38. Laws against miscegenation were on the books in most, if not all parts of the US. Not until the latter part of the 20th century were all of these laws overturned. Research the history behind some of these cases:
• http://www.losangelesalmanac.com/topics/Vitals/vi70.htm
• http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/Nisei.htm#miscegenationlaws
• http://www.eugenics-watch.com/roots/chap07.html
• http://www.asian-nation.org/interracial.shtmlhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_mar3.htm.
39. Louisiana is famous for its food, and many different types of food and drink are mentioned in Cane River. Research recipes for any of the following:
• ashcakes

http://earthskillsonline.com/article.php?sid=33

• Louisiana-style biscuits

http://www.recipehound.com/Recipes/1689.html

• black-bottom pie

http://www.cajun-recipes.com/cajun1/dessert/1048.htm

• café au lait

http://www.coffeecakes.com/cafeaulait.html

• canes of sweet peppermint candy

http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/bldes24.htm

• chicken and tasso jambalaya

http://recipe-chicken.com/recipes-chicken-01/079735.SHTM

• collard greens

http://bluechef.com/recipe/greens.html

• corn fritters

http://www.hugs.org/Quick_Corn_Fritters.shtmlcornpone

http://www.hugs.org/Corn_Pone.shtml

• cornbread

http://www.freerecipe.org/Bread/Cornbread/SouthernCo_gjgh.htm

• Louisiana crab cakes

http://www.ci-no.com/recipes/lacrabcakes.html

• crawfish stew

http://www.cajun-recipes.com/cajun2/entree/2261.htm

• flapjacks

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,185,153172-230198,00.html

• Louisiana fried chicken

http://www.chickenrecipe.com/az/TanyaLouisianaSouthernFriedChicken.asp

• griddle cakes

http://www.cajungrocer.com/cfapps/netGear/page45.asp?id=927739547

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/recipes/IHOP2.htm

• grits

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/breakfast/fried_grits_recipe.html

• gumbo

http://www.cooksrecipes.com/soup/louisiana-style_seafood_gumbo_recipe.html

• sassafras tea

http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/forsite/rodney/rodney1.htm

• peach cobbler

http://www.texascooking.com/features/jun97peachcoblr.htm

• pig in a pit

http://pigcountry.orcon.net.nz/bushtucker.html

• pig's knuckles

http://www.freerecipe.org/Main_Dish/Meat/Pork/PigsKnuckl_bbiha.htm

• rice fritters

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/mardigras/RiceFritters.htm

• Sarah Bernhardt cookies

http://www.isholf.is/gullis/jo/foreign.htm

• Sarah Bernhardt cake

http://lynnescountrykitchen.net/cakes/sarah.html

• Louisiana sweet-potato pie

http://members.tripod.com/fatherpat/mycookbook/yam_pie.html

• sweet-potato pone

http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/dobson_nm_recipe1.html

• Louisiana hot tamales

http://www.cookinglouisiana.com/Cooking/Recipes/Meat/hot-tamales%20-%20JG.htm

• three-layer jelly cake

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1913,152173-229206,00.html

• tortillas

http://www.davidscooking.com/recipes/tortillas/tortillas.html

• turtle stew

http://www.thepineywoods.com/turtleStew.htm

Quotes for Response

Cane River is full of interesting quotations. Read the following and then defend or refute the statement. (Note that you are not writing about the situation in the book, but rather about whether or not the quotation is true for life, as you see it.)

1. Elisabeth says, "You can't tell how heavy somebody else's load is just from looking. The Lord doesn't give us more than we can carry…."
2. Elisabeth says, "Reaching too deep into something not meant for you is full of pain. Figure out what you can have and work on that. You only get one family."
3. Suzette says, "Family is everything, Philomene. Do not ever forget that. A tree without roots cannot survive."
4. Of her children, Philomene says, "Fair skin will give them advantage."
5. "Narcisse didn't hold to the notion…that all children should attend a public school set up in the parish, regardless of their color, race, or previous condition of servitude, mixing indiscriminately…. It was wrongheaded to expect his taxes to pay for children he didn't know and had no responsibility for, whose own parents couldn't pay for their education. Everyone should take care of their own…. Those who couldn't afford to do similarly would have to fall by the wayside."
6. Joseph says, "A woman's place is with her man."
7. "The world had been a smaller place before these things they called progress reached them, steamboats instead of railroads, horses instead of automobiles, but the improvements tended to be hard-edged and drab, one of the worst possible sins…."
8. Philomene tells T.O., "…Don't waste what came before. Add to it."

II. Supplemental Information

Literary Terms

Below are examples that illustrate Lalita Tademy's use of literary devices in Cane River.

simile and imagery: "…Suzette, with skin like strong coffee after the splash of cream."

simile: "[Suzette] stared at the old burn spot shaped like a quarter moon…."

imagery: "For Suzette there were real smells in the quarter no one tried to mask, loud sounds no one tried to quiet, and large motions no one tried to subdue."

foreshadowing: Elisabeth says to Suzette, "You do whatever you can think of to protect you and yours."

metaphor: Elisabeth said, "Field or house, we're all in the same web, waiting for the spider to get home."

foreshadowing: Elisabeth says to Suzette, "Any of us could be sold tomorrow."

metaphor: "[Eugene Daurat's] pale skin the dull white of goat's mild. He seemed to Suzette to be a little doll man."

extended metaphor and double entendre: Eugene Daurat says, "This Bordeaux caused a great deal of excitement…. Look at the lovely color…. It has a ravishing bouquet, and a flavor to match. I confess [it] may be a bit young, but sometimes it can be difficult to wait."

simile and alliteration: "…a sound just his side of hearing, like dreams drifting out of reach, slight as a soft spring wind."

simile: "…Eugene Daurat…[l]ooking at you like you're some new Louisiana sweetmeat to try."

simile: "…[Louis] seemed more fragile…now, like one of the Derbannes' fine cracked dishes that had to be handled with extra care because it was too good to throw out."

metaphor: "It reminded [Suzette] of cats with the mice they caught around Rosedew, toying with their food before they ate it."

simile: "…dreams of promised freedom and humane treatment…died a quick and suffocating death, like a sputtering fire that can't get enough air to keep itself burning."

alliteration: "On a sunless, soggy day in September…."

imagery: "The moldy scent of the damp hay was sickening, and the barn was drafty and cold."

foreshadowing: "Suzette was relieved that…Philippe was not there. There was something about him that frightened her."

metaphor: "Doralise's face reminded Suzette of a ripe peach she had once found on the ground in the big garden, seemingly so perfect until she'd picked it up and exposed an oozing, rotten wound on the underside."

alliteration and metaphor: "Suzette pricked the bubble of bitterness before it had a chance to rise."

imagery: "…Philomene favored Eugene Daurat. She had thin gingers and delicate features, a high-yellow baby with a sharp nose and a full, thickhead of wiry hair that stood up at peculiar, spiky angles."

simile: "…she was as brittle as the two thinning plaits of white hair that Suzette brushed out…."

imagery: "Joseph Ferrier was a tall, long-limbed man…an outdoorsman with sure movements and sandy hair that fell into his eyes."

metaphor: "[Suzette] pretended to care about the knot of infirmities that tightened around Françoise."

foreshadowing: "[Suzette] touched the door and pointed out toward the moon. ‘Tomorrow night,' Suzette motioned to Palmire."

simile: "[Suzette] clamped down hard on her bitterness, as if it were a metallic bit set in her mouth."

irony: When Suzette asks Oreline to try to influence Daurat to buy Palmire, Oreline says, "I don't think you appreciate how much I've done for you already."

foreshadowing: "…[Clement] has a long split up his back."

alliteration: "Palmire had come alone in silent surrender."

irony: "On auction day it was honorable to provide full disclosure among gentlemen, seller to buyer, of any damaged merchandise."

simile: "The day was cold and soggy, like [Daurat's] spirits."

irony: "The spectators embraced what they considered to be the kindness of the day. Mademoiselle Landry buying Dick and Lucy as a pair. The benevolence of Joseph Ferrier and his wife, Oreline, taking the cook's daughter and one of her children and her deaf-mute sister as well…."

simile: "Her family had been…scattered like the fuzzy dandelion wish-weeds she'd dreamed on as a child."

foreshadowing: Philomene says, "One day we will all be together again, I see it."

simile: "In the beginning the watching had been just another condition of her existence, like emptying the stinkpots, or obeying Oreline's orders, or the unchangeable fact that Monday was bake day."

foreshadowing: Narcisse says to Philomene, "I have an interest in you. Don't you ever forget that."

foreshadowing: Philomene says to Clement, "…I saw your body cold and still, near a river."

simile: Philomene says to Clement, "You make me feel soft as this fur…."

simile: Clement says to Philomene, "He…used his slim fingers to fluff her long, shiny chestnut hair. ‘Like cornsilk,' he said…."

alliteration: "[Clement] had on a pair of oversize gardening gloves, bleached a blinding white."

personification, foreshadowing: "The river had a bite to it today, giving unexpected tugs in first one direction and then another as the currents changed."

symbolism: "When [Clement] finished the construction, he painstakingly carved two images along the wide back of the chair, the full-faced boldness of a brown bear near the top and, directly underneath, the silhouette of a deer in flight."

alliteration: "Narcisse's voice was peppered with some personal pleasure he could not disguise."

metaphor: "…and the sky became a mockery of both day and night."

foreshadowing: "Clement is right. Something is false, M'sieu Narcisse sending Clement here too easy."

foreshadowing: "But there were times…when [Philomene] would have to fight off a cruel fluttering in the pit of her stomach, a shadow she could not shake."

alliteration: "…Philomene turned sullen and silent."

Simile: "…[Philomene and Clement] build to a fine luster together, like the silver she polished for first the Derbannes and then the Ferriers…."

alliteration: "There was a freedom in not talking, an extra corner of calm to be gained by not having to participate fully in a world without Clement."

metaphor: "[The farm] had become nothing more than a discarded, temporary shelter for Oreline and her three children, and Philomene and the twins, a stopover until the next place."

simile: "Voices floated like dandelion wish-weeds around her…."

foreshadowing: "A need had begun to take shape in Philomene's mind, becoming more persistent with each day that passed; but it floated out of reach until almost the end of her convalescence."

personification: "[Narcisse's] boots sang out on the floorboards, warning his approach."

foreshadowing: Narcisse says to Philomene, "It's time to think about the future. There can be more children."

metaphor: "The snake-quick volatility of moods and random anger along Cane River…."

personification: "She looked older than Philomene remembered, creases playing at the corners of her eyes."

alliteration: "… was the year of dislocation and disarray…."

simile: "[Burning cotton] smelled to [Philomene] like freedom."

irony: Oreline says to Philomene, "How can you think to leave me now? After all I've done for you and your family…. Your life could have been very cruel indeed if not for me…you've never been whipped."

foreshadowing: Philomene says, "My Emily will have a different kind of life from mine."

simile: "…[the man] looked like a frightened little boy forced to drop his pants as he waited for a whipping."

symbolism: "Off in the distance a jay screeched, and another of his kind answered the call."

simile: "…[Yellow John] and Doralise have become as comfortable with each other as a pair of old slippers."

foreshadowing: Joseph says to Emily, "…[It] will be up to me to bring you some fun from outside these convent walls to keep you from melancholy."

simile: "[Joseph] had a fit of sweeping land and money to him like a broom."

personification: "The first time [Joseph] called her Mademoiselle Petite, his eyes danced."

simile: "[Joseph's] thick mustache was like a waterfall…."

imagery: "[Joseph's] cheeks were full for such a thin man, and because the underlying bone structure was high, a deep shadow played constantly between his ear and his mouth. An inner amusement crackled in his deep-set eyes, almost overshadowed by thick, wayward eyebrows that would have startled and overwhelmed his face had they not been muted by their sandy brown paleness."

synecdoche: "Insatiable tongues told stories about the Frenchman and the quadroon…."

simile: "Philomene and Narcisse sized each other up, like a pair of fighting cocks preparing to spar one last time."

personification and simile: "Silence hugged each corner of the room like a shroud."

simile: "Joseph and Emily were like magnets…."

alliteration: "…Emily heard the sharp, shrill whistle of the steamboat…."

alliteration: "…Emily found each…whistle…an intimate invitation from some mysterious place."

metaphor: "…[A]ll women…starting with [Elisabeth] and descending down to Angelite. From coffee, to cocoa, to cream, to milk, to lily."

symbolism: "Could Emily be the joyous one…taking the step beyond survival, without the halo of the others as both a beacon and a shield?"

simile: "There had been the time of being worked and sold, like an ox…."

symbolism: Thinking about her Elisabeth, Emily thought that she had been "[c]arrying a marker, a burned image of the moon on her arm.… The unfinished circle of the moon."

metaphor: Bet said that Elisabeth had called the increasing paleness of skin color "the bleaching of the line."

foreshadowing: "You have enemies, Joseph, and they grow in strength and number."

personification: "The oil painting mocked her from its position of honor over the fireplace in the front room."

symbolism: Philomene says, "I am the rock in your garden, Emily, and you are the bloom in mine."

simile: "Joseph and Lola grew tauter than a hangman's noose…."

personification: "The house had power over [T.O.]…."

simile: "As if every time [T.O.] tried to draw fresh air into his lungs, something tightened its grip around his body, like a snake slowly crushing its prey."

foreshadowing: "Something was seriously wrong. Wrong enough that [T.O.] needed to tell someone what he had seen."

simile: "Lola's words entered T.O. like poison…."

simile: "[Emily] moved through her exchanges with the law as if they were dancing a slow waltz."

irony: "Emily knew then there was no use fighting, what with a newspaper article shamelessly making the claim that Joseph had shot himself in the head with a pistol, cut his own throat, and then come back to shoot himself in the face with a rifle."

foreshadowing: Philomene says about T.O., "He's asking for trouble. His is the same talk that got Joseph dead."

foreshadowing and symbolism: "T.O. quickly drew his hand to his face, but not before Emily saw the muscle below her son's left eye begin to twitch uncontrollably."

foreshadowing: Antoine said to T.O., "You can be a smart boy…or you can end up like Joseph Billes."

simile: About Joseph, Emily said, "[People] saw him from the outside and offered up one piece of the man at a time, like it was the whole cloth."

symbolism: "If Emily was the bloom in Philomene's garden and Elisabeth the root that reached down deep enough to anchor itself and search for nourishment, Suzette had been the soil itself, buffeted by winds, withstanding storms, baked by the sun."

simile: "Sometimes [memories] gave [Emily] great pleasure, like good friends come calling."

personification: "The very smell of the place assaulted [Emily], triggering memories.…"

Vocabulary List

Here is a list of terms that students may have particular difficulty in understanding as they read the novel:

A-L

abode = house, dwelling

abomination = scandal, disgrace

adversity = hard times, difficult situations

affront = insult, act of disrespect

aftermath = result, after-effects

ajar = partly open

aloof = distant, detached

antagonizing = provoking, irritating

appraisal = assessment, evaluation

appraisingly = in a way to evaluate the worth, significance, or status of

apprentice = learner, beginner

armoire = a tall piece of furniture, generally used to hold clothes

arrogance = egotism, superiority

ashcakes = patties of dough cooked by tossing them onto hot coals

assessors = those who review value of property or other possessions

attire = clothing

austere = plain, stark

averted = turn away or aside to avoid

awl = a pointed tool for marking surfaces or piercing small holes (as in leather or wood)

azaleas = types of rhododendrons

backgammon = board game played with dice and counters

baffled = confused

balmy = mild, pleasant

banished = sent away, cast out

bayou = swamp, marsh

beau = boyfriend

bemused = bewildered

benevolence = kindness, generosity

birthright = a right, privilege, or possession to which a person is entitled by birth

bland = plain, featureless

blood pudding = large link sausage made of pig's blood, suet, bread crumbs and oatmeal; traditionally, it is sautéed and served with mashed potatoes

blustery = loud, violent

bonjour = French for "hello"

borne = supported

bower = a shelter in a garden made with tree boughs or vines twined together

brayed = made the sound of a mule

breechcloth = a cloth worn to cover the loins

bristled = became angry or annoyed

brittle = fragile, easily broken

broadcloth = a twilled napped woolen or worsted fabric with smooth lustrous face and dense texture

brooded = worried, fretted

buck = male human being

buckboard = a four-wheeled vehicle with a floor made of long springy boards

buffeting = attacking by repeated blows

butter churn = a making-butter vessel in which milk or cream is agitated in order to separate the oily globules from the watery medium

Caddo = American Indian peoples of Louisiana, Arkansas, and eastern Texas

calico = a type of cotton cloth

calomel = a tasteless compound used especially as a fungicide and insecticide and occasionally as a medicinal purgative

camaraderie = friendship, companionship

cane syrup = an extremely sweet syrup used in Caribbean and Creole cookery

caprices = impulses, whims

capricious = unpredictable

carcass = corpse, skeleton

carpetbagger = a Northerner in the South after the American Civil War and usually seeking private gain under the reconstruction governments

catechism = a manual that summarizes religious doctrine, often in the form of questions and answers

censured = condemned

chafed = became irritated

chagrined = annoyed, peeved

changeling = a child secretly exchanged for another in infancy

charred = slightly or partially burned

checkers = a game for two players, each with 12 pieces

cholera = an illness of humans and domestic animals usually marked by severe gastrointestinal symptoms

christening = baptism

chuck-a-luck = a type of gambling game played with dice that tumble in a spinning cage

civility = courtesy, graciousness

clarity = clearness

closemouthed = silent

cocooned = enveloped

cohabitation = living together

comely = having a pleasing appearance

concede = admit, allow

conciliatory = appeasing, peace-making

concocted = mixed

concoction = mixture

concubinage = cohabitation of persons not legally married

confidante = a woman one tells secrets to

confiscated = took possession of, removed

confound = mystify, confuse

conjure = summon, invoke

consort = spouse

consorted = associated, mixed

conspicuous = obvious, clear

conspiratorially = in a way that suggests a secret agreement

contrite = sorry, repentant

convalescence = period of recovery or recuperation

convent = a house in which female members of a religious group reside

convoluted = complicated, intricate

cookhouse = a building specifically used for cooking

copal = a recent or fossil resin from various tropical trees

copse = grove, thicket

cords = units of wood cut for fuel equal to a stack 4 x 4 x 8 feet or 128 cubic feet

corn cribs = receptacles for storing ears of Indian corn

corset = a woman's close-fitting, boned supporting undergarment that is often hooked and laced and that extends from above or beneath the bust or from the waist to below the hips and has garters attached

coterie = an intimate and often exclusive group of persons with a unifying common interest or purpose

cotton gin = a machine that separates the seeds, hulls, and foreign material from cotton

coveted = desirable, in demand

coy = bashful, modest

cravat = a band or scarf worn around the neck

cronies = buddies, associates

dapple = cloudy and rounded spots or shades different from their background

dappled = spotted, speckled

decree = ruling, formal announcement

dejected = miserable, depressed, crestfallen

delirium = fever, hallucinations

denote = represent, stand for

denounce = condemn, criticize

depravity = corruption, wickedness

devoid = lacking, without

dingy = dirty, grimy

disarmed = won over, charmed

disconcerting = disturbing, confusing

discreet = tactful, diplomatic

disdainful = mocking, condescending

dispirited = downhearted, dejected, depressed

dogged = persistent, strong-willed

domain = realm, sphere of influence

dominoes = a game played with flat rectangular blocks, divided into two equal parts, that are blank or bear from one to six dots arranged as on dice faces

drone = deep sustained or monotonous sound

dumb = lacking the power of speech

ebbed = receded, faded

ebony = a hard, heavy wood

emancipation = freedom from slavery

emitted = gave off

en masse = as one, as a group

encumbered = burdened, overloaded

entrée = the main course of a meal

equilibrium = balance

executor = person responsible for

exemplary = deserving imitation

fais do do = a communal dance

falsity = inaccuracy, fallacy

faltered = hesitated, weakened

fanfare = display, elaboration

fashioned = shaped, created

fatback = the strip of fat from the back of a hog carcass, usually cured by drying and salting

fawned = courted someone's favor by flattering

Federals = members of the Union army

fedora = a low soft felt hat with the crown creased lengthwise

felony = serious crime

ferocity = intensity

fervent = passionate, enthusiastic

fidgeted = squirmed, became restless

fierceness = strength, fierceness

fitfully = restlessly, erratically

flagstop = a point at which a vehicle in public transportation stops only on pre-arrangement or signal

flatwork = laundry that can be finished mechanically and does not require hand ironing

flaunted = showed off, displayed

flourish = grand gesture

fodder = silage, feed

foraging = scavenging, hunting

foreclosure = a legal proceeding that bars or extinguishes a mortgagor's right of redeeming a mortgaged estate

fortified = made stronger

four bits = a slang term meaning "50 cents"

frayed = threadbare, ragged

French Quarter = a famous area of New Orleans

frenzy = agitation, passion

frisson = a sudden chill

frugal = economical, thrifty

furlough = leave of absence

furtive = secret, sneaky

gabardine = a firm hard-finish durable fabric twilled with diagonal ribs on the right side

gabled = having a vertical triangular end of a building from cornice or eaves to ridge

gait = step, way of walking

gangly = lanky, gawky and tall

gauzy = see-through, delicate, filmy

genealogist = a person who studies family history

gens de couleur libre = free people of color

gingerly = carefully, delicately

gingham = a clothing fabric usually of yarn-dyed cotton in plain weave

glint = sparkle

gloat = pride, triumph

grandeur = splendor, opulence

grimace = a facial expression of disgust or disapproval

gusto = enthusiasm, passion

guttural = coming from the throat

haughtily = snootily, in a self-important way

haughty = arrogant, conceited

heady = reckless, impetuous

heyday = prime, peak of success

hierarchical = relating to classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing

high-yellow = an African American with a light complexion

hoarding = keeping to oneself

homage = respect, reverence

homespun = material made at home rather than purchased at a store

hordes = crowds, masses

hors d'oeuvres = pick-up foods, starters

imminent = about to happen

immobile = motionless, stationary

impassive = unemotional, blank

impending = soon to happen

implicit = implied, unspoken

impotent = powerless

impressments = acts of seizing for public use or public service

incautious = overhasty, reckless

indiscreet = careless

indiscriminately = at random; without a plan

indisposed = 1) reluctant, unwilling; 2) under the weather, ill

indisputably = unquestionably

indulgent = gratifying

inevitability = certainty

inevitable = bound to happen

inexorable = unalterable, unchangeable

infantry = soldiers trained, armed, and equipped to fight on foot

infectious = spreading rapidly to others

infidel = a disbeliever in something specified or understood

infuriated = angry, enraged

initiate = begin

insatiable = not able to be stopped or appeased

insinuated = hinted, suggested

insinuation = suggestion, hint

intimidating = daunting, threatening

invasive = enveloping, persistent

jasmine = a type of shrub with fragrant flowers

jaundice = a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, tissues, and body fluids

jaunty = merry, sprightly

joie de vivre = French for "love of life"

josie (also spelled josey) = a jacket for women

jostled = pushed, shoved

jubilee = celebration, festivity

kept his own counsel = didn't reveal his feelings

kindling = sticks to start a fire

kinsman = relative

laden = burdened, overloaded

largesse = generous giving

last rites = a sacrament in the Catholic Church where a priest anoints and prays for the recovery and salvation of a critically ill or injured person

laudanum = any of various formerly used preparations of opium

leaden = sluggish, dull

legacy = inheritance, birthright

letting blood = also known as bloodletting; taking blood from the body in the treatment of disease

liaison = relationship, connection

liberation = freedom

lineage = ancestry

liniment = ointment, salve

lore = traditional teachings or wisdom

lovesick = infatuated

lullabies = songs to quiet children and lull them to sleep

luster = sheen, patina

lye = a strong alkaline solution

M-Z

ma chère = French for "my darling"

Madeira = a type of wine

madras = a large silk or cotton kerchief usually of bright colors

maimed = disfigured, mutilated

makeshift = temporary, improvised

mandolin = a stringed musical instrument

manservant = a male servant

Marraine = French for "godmother"

meager = insufficient, inadequate

meandered = wandered, roamed

melancholy = sad, depressed, downtrodden

mélange = a mixture of incompatible or inappropriate elements

menace = threat, danger, hazard

menacingly = threateningly, in a sinister way

Mère = French for "Mother"

mesmerized = captivated, fascinated, hypnotized

mete out = to give out by measure, dole (out)

midwife = a woman who assists other women in childbirth

miscegenation = mixture of two races

misshapen = distorted, deformed, twisted

mongrels = offspring of parents of different breeds

monologues = speeches given by one person

monotone = words spoken in the same pitch

monotony = sameness, repetitiveness

mottled = spotted

mulatto = the first generation child of a black parent and a white parent

mundane = routine, ordinary

muscadine = a grape of the southern U.S.

musings = thoughts said reflectively

muslin = plain-woven, sheer to coarse cotton fabric

mustered = formally enrolled

mutton = meat from a mature sheep

nigh = near

night riders = men in a secret band who rode masked at night in order to terrorize or punish

noncommittal = evasive, not giving a firm answer

non-stereotypical = not conforming to a fixed or general pattern

noxious = harmful, toxic

nuns = female members of a religious group

obligatory = mandatory, required

obliquely = in a roundabout way

old-line = original, established

omen = prophecy, warning

Ones with Last Names = Suzette's designation for people who were free (slaves did not have last names)

orchestrated = arranged, coordinated, organized

palliate = to moderate the intensity of

panorama = landscape, scene

pantaloons = loose-fitting usually shorter than ankle-length trousers

paramour = an illicit lover

paranoia = extreme suspicion or fear

parched = dry, scorched

parish = in Louisiana, the equivalent of a county in other states

parrain = French for "godfather"

patois = dialect

pedigree = pure bred

perimeter = outside edges

persimmons = orange berries that resemble plums

perverse = wicked, evil

pessimistic = having an outlook that sees the worst

petticoats = skirts worn under dresses

petty = trivial, insignificant

petulant = grouchy, irritable

picayunes = Spanish half real pieces formerly used as currency in the South

pique = annoyance, anger

plaintive = mournful, sad, melancholy

plaits = braids, pigtails

plausible = reasonable, believable

poach = take without permission

pomaded = having a fragrant hair dressing

potent = strong, effective

prattled = babbled, talked about unimportant subjects

precluded = prohibited, disallowed

preening = grooming, cleaning

presumptuous = arrogant, conceited

pretensions = airs, pretenses

prey = victim

prickly = tingling

primly = in a stuffy or meticulous way

procure = acquire, obtain

pudgy = chubby, plump

pullets = young hens

puny = weak, scrawny, undersized

quadrille waltz = a type of square dancing

quadroon = a person with one-fourth Negro ancestry

quickening = the first time during pregnancy that a baby is felt to move

quinine = a bitter salt, used especially in treating malaria

quota = allocation, allowance

raggedly = in a frayed or shabby way

raspy = hoarse, croaky

ravenous = very hungry, starving

recitation = reading, narration

reconcile = reunite, get back together

refrain = to keep from doing, abstain

refuge = shelter, safe haven

remnant = remainder, leftover, residue

rendezvous = meeting, date

reprieve = pardon

reproach = criticize, blame

reveries = daydreams

revert = go back to

righteous idealism = moral optimism or romanticism

rivulets = small streams

rosary = a string of beads used in counting prayers especially in Roman Catholic church

rousted = driven (as from bed) roughly or unceremoniously

rummy = perplexing, odd

safeguard = defend, protect

sanctuary = refuge, shelter

savoring = enjoying greatly, relishing in

scant = limited, negligible

scowl = glare, grimace

secessionist = one who is in favor of his or her state leaving the union of the U.S.

seethed = fumed, was angry or furious

self-effacing = modest, unassuming

serene = calm, peaceful

settee = sofa, couch

sharecropper = a person who works someone else's land and gives the owner of the land a percentage of the profit from the crop

sheaf = bundle

sheepishly = guiltily, awkwardly

shoat = a young hog usually less than one year old

shrewd = sharp, perceptive, on-the-ball

sire = become a father to

skittering = gliding or skipping lightly or quickly

skittish = wary, jumpy, edgy

slop jar = a large pail used as a chamber pot or to receive waste-water from a washbowl or the contents of chamber pots

sluggishly = listlessly, lethargically

smallpox = an acute, contagious, febrile disease characterized by a skin eruption with pustules, sloughing, and scar formation

smitten = love-struck, infatuated

smock = a light loose garment worn especially to protect clothing while working

smokehouse = a building where meat or fish is cured by means of dense smoke

snake oil = mixtures sold (for instance, by a traveling medicine show) as medicine usually without regard to their medical worth or properties

snappish = with sharp or angry words

sniveling = speaking or acting in a whining, sniffling, or tearful manner

snuff = a type of tobacco

soirée = meeting

soirée dansante = a party with food and dancing

solace = comfort, consolation

solicitous = attentive, concerned

sorrel = a light bright chestnut horse

spar = fight

specter = spirit, ghost

spinster = an unmarried woman

spittoons = cuspidors, receptacles into which people spit

sporadic = irregular, infrequent

spry = agile, active

squall = gust

staccato = abrupt, disjointed

stamina = endurance, energy, strength

stern = the rear end of a boat

stevedores = those who work at or are responsible for loading and unloading ships in port

strife = conflict, dissension

stuccoed = covered in a material made of cement, sand, and lime and applied in a plastic state to form a hard covering for exterior walls

sty = pigpen

submissive = obedient, compliant

suet = the hard fat in beef and mutton

suitor = one who courts a woman or seeks to marry her

sulky = moody, surly

sullen = dismal, gloomy

supine = lying on the back or with the face upward

surly = abrupt, rude, impolite

tarp = canvas, sheeting

tatted = worked thread into a delicate form by looping and knotting it

tauter = firmer, tighter

tautly = primly, stiffly

tautness = tightness, firmness

temper = sooth, moderate, calm

tentatively = hesitantly, cautiously

three-step = a type of dance

throes = hard or painful struggles

throwback = suggestive of or suited to an earlier time or style

tignon = a type of kerchief

top hat = tall-crowned hat usually of beaver or silk

tousled = windswept, tangled

translucent = transparent, see-through

tremor = shake, tremble

trousseau = personal possessions of a bride usually including clothes, accessories, and household linens and wares

tunics = long, usually plain, close-fitting jackets with high collars

turmoil = disorder, chaos, confusion

tutrix = in Louisiana law, the female form of "tutor," one who has the care of a minor and the administration of his estate

uncouth = ill-mannered, crude

unkempt = scruffy, messy

unrelenting = not letting up or weakening in vigor or pace

unschooled = uneducated

unsettling = disconcerting, disturbing

unsheathed = no longer hidden

uppity = putting on or marked by airs of superiority

valises = suitcases, luggage

vestibule = entrance hall

Victrola = a brand of phonograph

vigilant = watching for

vintage = year that wine was made

volatility = explosive nature, unpredictability

Voulez-vous du café? = French for "Would you like to have some coffee?"

waned = diminished, decreased, declining

wary = suspicious, cautious

whim = impulse, urge

whimper = complaint, protest

whippoorwill = a nocturnal bird of eastern North America with a loud repeated call suggestive of its name

Winchester = a type of gun

wiry = slender but strong and sinewy

worsted =a compact yarn from wool fibers used especially for firm fabrics, carpeting, or knitting

yellow jack = a disease caused by a virus transmitted by a mosquito; also called yellow fever or black vomit

Susan Thurman currently teaches at Henderson Community College in Henderson, Kentucky. She is the author of a number of study guides and is the editor of Class Act, a monthly publication featuring ready-to-use ideas for English teachers.