Absolution

1. General Impressions 

Objective: Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What are your overall impressions of Jean and Patricia in Absolution? Did you find that you relate to one character more than the other, or did you find similarities to and differences from both characters?
• How does this book differ from other narratives about Vietnam after the war? Does it take more accountability or less than other Vietnam narratives you have read?
• Consider the book Atonement by Ian McEwan. Broadly, how do both books present seeking forgiveness by narrative means?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

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

• Have you ever questioned the authenticity of or motivations for your participation in any humanitarian events or activities? If you consider these aspects of your humanitarian work now, was there any part of you that contributed to these efforts for reasons beyond the cause you wanted to help?
• How did the critical nature of the friendship between Jean and Patricia impact you? 
• Which moments in the text made you feel tense or upset? If you consider the novel’s core idea of tension surrounding events that people feel guilty about, does this help you see your feelings in a new light?
• Have you ever traveled to a country or region that was struggling? How did this make you feel as a visitor?
• Secrets are uncovered in Jean’s manuscript by Patricia. How did this make you feel? Do you write down personal information, and what would you do if were read by a friend?
• Is there any event in your life that you would like to be forgiven for, in any large or small way? 

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

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

• Performative humanitarianism is discussed today in media outlets. How does this book help further that conversation?
• Does the motivation behind someone’s humanitarianism matter so long as they help people? Why should someone’s beliefs align with the work that they do? Why does this matter, or why not?
• Consider a place where the US has recently had a military presence. Could you envision yourself going there as part of a relief effort or charity organization?

4. Literary Analysis 

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

• How does the setting of Vietnam in the 1960s enhance the tone and mood of the text?
• Consider the structure of the text, a manuscript within a book. Does this narrative style enhance the voices of both Jean and Patricia?
• The text grapples with the question of truth and unreliability in telling one’s story. How does this impact Jean and Patricia as characters, and who are you more inclined to trust regarding events that they each remember differently?
• What is the symbolism of the lotus flower in Vietnamese culture? How is the lotus flower repurposed by Americans in Vietnam, and what does this say about them?
• Consider Jean’s garden in contrast to the wilderness of Vietnam. What does the garden say about Jean’s need for order and control, and what can be drawn from this broader comparison to the Vietnamese wilderness?
• Jean and Patricia are both mothers. How are their roles as mothers impacted by foreign environments and external political and social pressures?

5. Creative Engagement 

Objective: Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If this book were adapted into a movie, who would you cast as younger Jean? Who would you cast as younger Patricia? 
• Create a playlist for the manuscript portions of the text with the aim of enhancing the emotions in it. What songs did you choose, and what do they tell you about your feelings toward Jean?

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