The Rapture of Canaan

Recommended by Kelley. This book was recommended by Oprah's Book Club, so I might try to post some of her discussion questions.

I hope that you love this book as much as I did.

I'm finished with the book. I'm still absorbing it. I'm going on Oprah's site and getting some discussion questions to get more from the book. I will post them.

Join in with your opinion. Thanks for the recommendation. I did enjoy the story, but am intrigued with the depth of it, thus, the questions will follow.

1. Ninah struggles to understand the difference twtween "good whores" and "women with passion," as well as the ways in which society views them. At the novel's conclusion, what has she learned about being a good woman and about the nature of good and evil in general?

This question is very difficult. Ninah first sees that anyone who fornicates outside of marriage is a "whore." When contemplating this, she wants to grow up and become a good whore. Out of ignorance, she believes this is the right thing to do. She puts herself in the situation that it is what God wanted. During the time of her actions, she believes that God has instructed her to do so.

After she has realized what "her" society has expected, she sees the passion between her grandparents. Thus she reflects upon herself and starts to make her own decisions about Canaan. She feels a good woman should nurse her baby and that's what Canaan wanted.

I'm fumbling on this question, so I need some help.

2. As Ninah matures, she comes to see Fire and Brimstone "like an island sinking from the weight of fearful hearts" (p.17). Why is it so difficult for an isolated community to maintain its strength and vision? What is the roll of such a group's leader and do you consider Herman an effective leader?

An isolated community is difficult in its own right, but this community in The Rapture has some outside influences. I would think that they would home school their children so that they didn't get the outside influences. As the book progresses, we find that everyone is lying about something. Everyone lives in fear, so when Herman gets sick, we see that the strength of the community is weakening. Their vision is only held together by Herman. It appears to me many of the adults have their own visions and the loyalty of the village is very questionable.

I think that I will re read Canaan, the next break, so that I can really think about my responses.

I am glad that you enjoyed the book.

The first thing that intrigued me was the religion/cult/sect that this village had.

The book Desert Wives that your mom and I read has a large part of the book describing the cult of polygamy mormons.

I am interested in religious cults. When I was young I remember the Guana Jones Tragedy. I'm sure Karen remembers that. I'm going to research that again. All I remember is that they put poison in the koolaid and made them all drink it to sacrafice themselves. At age 5 or 6 it makes a big impression.

Back to Fire & Brimstone, I can't really understand that they let their children go to public school. They exile them from everything else, it would be just as easy to keep total control with home schooling (spoken like a true home school mom).

These cults have some weird customs and traditions. The weirdest that I thought was the sleeping in the grave overnight.

OK enough chatting.

I've passed this book on to my mother-in-law and she is really enjoying it too!