Elephant Winter
Page 16
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
In a story so centred on communication and language, what is the significance of Alecto’s muteness? Jo’s limited dialogue with Sophie? Sophie’s quest to understand the elephants’ language?
How does Alecto challenge the reader’s notions of good and evil?
So much about the elephants’ existence is tied to their captivity. Discuss how the theme of captivity affects the novel.
Discuss your thoughts and feelings about animal communication. How have you experienced how animals communicate?
Why do you think Sophie decides to attend Lear’s autopsy?
How did the Elephant-English Dictionary add to your reading experience?
What do you think Sophie and her mother discover about their relationship before she dies?
The elephants’ sense of community seems to define their existence. In the novel, Sophie says, “There are things we do alone: give birth, choose when to stay and when to go, choose when to give of ourselves, die.” How do the themes of togetherness and isolation affect the story?
Discuss how motherhood is characterized in the novel—for Sophie, her mother, and the elephants.
What do you think Sophie will do now? Will she stay at the safari and her mother’s house? Will she try to contact Jo?