How do you think the author wants us to understand Alfred? Does his portrayal allow the reader to have compassion for him, or is he entirely unsympathetic? Use evidence from his letters as well as his interactions with the others, along with their observations of him, to illustrate your point.

What is the significance of the motif of gunfire (and other related sounds of warfare) that appears in the very first pages of the novel and weaves its way throughout the story? Find passages where sound is used to add meaning to the narrative, and explain what effect it has on the plot and characters.

The narrative includes many different rites of passage. Among these are leaving home, becoming an orphan, transitioning into adulthood, giving birth, dying, and the hero’s journey. Choose three rites of passage the characters make and explain how these life-cycle transitions transform the characters and affect their community.