The Hazel Wood

Alice is bold, tough, and sometimes cruel throughout the novel’s first half. Her love for Ella is strong and sincere, however, and only strengthens throughout the novel. Detail a list of four to five moments from the story that reveal Alice’s caring side, including moments in which she craves comfort and caring as well. Include a few examples after Alice’s return from New York to show evidence of a completed character arc.

Readers learn the plots of two Hinterland tales and receive hints and images of others throughout the novel; then, when Alice arrives in the Hinterland, she witnesses several Stories (characters in the tales). How do some Story characters both fit and break the stereotypical image of fairytale characters?

How does the motif of storytelling repeat in the novel? Which secondary character would best be able to tell Alice’s story? Explain your reasoning with proof from the text. Include as part of your support a discussion on this secondary character’s traits.

The Hinterland tales offer settings full of description; when Alice arrives in the Hinterland, these descriptions are echoed in the atmosphere. What imagery or setting elements suggest an otherworldly atmosphere in the Hinterland? In what ways do and don’t the settings and atmosphere match those in traditional fairytales? Use textual evidence for each part of the question.

Alice meets consistent conflicts and challenges in her quest to get Ella back. Of all the challenging characters she meets, what antagonist has the most significant influence over the conflict of the novel? Provide rationale for your choice in two to three points based on textual evidence.

Consider the settings of Harold’s apartment, Finch’s apartment, and Janet’s home. How do the respective settings within the novel help to indirectly characterize those associated with them? Discuss traits readers can infer about characters based on each background setting.

How is the theme of motherhood or maternal instincts evident in the novel? Keep in mind that several women exhibit “mothering” qualities toward characters who are not their children. List three to five figures from the novel who show maternal qualities and discuss their actions; are they “good” mothers? What ironies exist in this theme of motherhood?

Alice daydreams often of Althea and the Hazel Wood as she grows up. She is influenced by the Vanity Fair article, fan presence online, and her own imagination. What does her own dream version of Althea (and the Hazel Wood estate, by extension) represent for Alice? Does Althea befit that version or defy it (or both) when Alice finally meets her?