The Berry Pickers

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• Overall, how did you find the balance of tragedy and hope within The Berry Pickers? Do you think the book is more hopeful or more tragic overall?
• What did you most appreciate about the multi-generational narrative within the novel? In what ways was this aspect of the text bittersweet? 
• Consider The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. How do both texts deal with historical themes of displacement of Indigenous communities? Did you resonate more with one text than the other?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Can Ruthie be considered the emotional heart of the novel, given that the family suffers greatly after her disappearance? Who in your family unit could be considered the emotional heart?
• As Ruthie’s disappearance is the inciting incident to a larger family shift, can you identify an inciting incident within your own family or friendship circles? This incident need not be tragic, but rather an event that caused significant change. 
• Joe’s death is a pivotal moment, representing the unknown and a sudden loss of innocence. Consider the impact of Joe’s death and Ruthie’s disappearance: How did each impact you on an emotional level? 
• The treatment of Indigenous peoples is an important aspect of the text. Did you learn anything new about the lives of Indigenous peoples, such as family structures or values? How did this impact you as a reader?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• How does the setting of 1960s-1970s rural Maine influence cultural attitudes toward Indigenous communities and migratory families? Consider the attitudes toward race and cultural differences displayed in the text. 
• What sense of redemption is offered through Ruthie/Norma’s return? In what ways does it bring the narrative full circle?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Can the overlap between Ruthie’s return and Bernadette’s death be read as an act of magical realism? Consider what Ruthie’s disappearance has cost the family and what Bernadette represented as a family matriarch. 
• Consider the family’s keepsakes, such as the items that Ruthie/Norma brings from her new life when she returns home to her biological family. How does this collection of items symbolize the duality of her life? 
• Consider Joe’s shoes, left behind after his disappearance. What do they represent to the family, and what do they symbolize within the larger narrative?
• What does a setting that includes dense forests, ocean cliffs, and ripe berries represent about various aspects of the Mi’kmaq family? How does a diverse setting mirror the family’s collective and individual journeys?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Create a playlist that represents the events of the text, beginning with upbeat music when the family is still whole. How does your playlist evolve as the plot develops?
• Imagine Ruthie’s life with her biological family upon her return. Do you envision happiness and fulfillment? How might the family cope with their losses?

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